NRL: Steady as she goes for relieved Gidley

Knights captain Kurt Gidley was cleared of a season-ending cruciate ligament injury. Photo / Getty Images

SYDNEY - Newcastle captain Kurt Gidley will not risk re-injuring his hamstring by rushing back for the Knights' NRL round one clash with Canterbury.

Gidley and the Knights were breathing a sigh of relief yesterday after the test utility was cleared of what he had feared was a season-ending cruciate ligament injury.

Scan results revealed a hamstring muscle or tendon tear suffered during Saturday's All Star match on the Gold Coast.

The NSW skipper will be sidelined for 4-6 weeks after feeling his knee click a split second before being crunched in a tackle by Newcastle team-mate Cory Paterson.

"They found a tear in the hamstring, whether it's the hamstring or where all three hamstrings join in a tendon down towards the back of my knee, that's about as medical as I can get," Gidley told reporters.

"No damage to the cruciate which was the main one so very good news."

With the NRL season getting underway in just under four weeks' time, Gidley could have been a shot of lining up against the Bulldogs at ANZ Stadium but virtually ruled himself out.

"I'm not going to say first game, I think I might be pushing that, the way I felt when it happened it was pretty scary," the Knights fullback said.

"I'd hate to come back the first game and do something similar or even worse again.

"I've come back from quad tears before and come back too early and they only last longer and they get you more down so I'm going to be more cautious than anything with this one."

Gidley's injury, along with those suffered by test captain Darren Lockyer (arm), Brisbane winger Jharal Yow Yeah (knee) and Canberra hooker Travis Waddell (concussion), had sparked debate over the timing of the All Stars fixture and Gidley admitted he had contemplated the prospect of a season on the sidelines.

"I think that's probably the worst thing I've experienced in a game, especially when you're not in a tackle, you're not being twisted, it's pretty scary when you've just done it yourself and your knees sort of give way," he said.

"To stare down the barrel of a whole season being out is something every player fears."

Lockyer was cleared of any serious damage on Monday and will be right for round one, while Waddell was cleared of neck damage and will travel to Brisbane to face the Broncos in a trial at Ballymore on Saturday.

Yow Yeh will miss at least four weeks.

Meanwhile, the All Stars concept received more support on Monday from Australian Rugby League indigenous council chairman William `Smiley' Johnstone.

"Rugby league has shown the way to all sports in indigenous participation and reconciliation," he said in a statement.

- AAP