Gidley out of World Cup with knee injury

(AAP) - Australia's rugby league World Cup campaign has been dealt a major blow, with a knee injury ruling star utility back Kurt Gidley out for the remainder of the tournament.

Gidley was injured in Sunday night's 30-6 win over New Zealand and scans confirmed
he had knocked a small piece of cartilage off the joint surface of the patella in
his left knee.
He will return to Newcastle next week for surgery.
Gidley's injury left the 26-year-old devastated, and is a major setback for the
Kangaroos, who also have star halfback Johnathan Thurston in doubt to play England
at Telstra Dome on Sunday night.
"It's a bitterly disappointing way to end the season, especially off the back of our
strong performance against the Kiwis (last) Sunday night," Gidley said.
"The squad has gelled really well and I'm just devastated I won't be able to take
any further part in the tournament."
Australia are unable to replace Gidley in their World Cup squad, with Gold Coast
star Scott Prince likely to replace him on the bench for the clash with England.
Thurston starred against New Zealand despite the death of his uncle the day before,
but injured his shoulder during the match.
Results of scans should be known on Wednesday, but of concern is the fact he had
both shoulders reconstructed at the end of the 2007 season.
If injuries were not of enough concern to Ricky Stuart, the Australian coach also
had to warn fullback Billy Slater to avoid sliding feet-first into opponents,
fearing his star could get suspended.
Slater's tactic of using his feet to try to prevent opposition players scoring
prompted a warning from the tournament's match review committee that it was
dangerous and would no longer be tolerated.
No-one from the Kangaroos camp would comment on Tuesday, but a team spokesman said
Stuart had addressed the issue with Slater since he slid into Kiwi Jerome Ropati on
the weekend.
The Rugby League International Federation on Tuesday night released guidelines to
referees to be on the look-out for players who used their feet, and warned that the
practice was contrary to the spirit of the game.
It warned players who did so could be charged with contrary conduct if they used
their feet to try to prevent opponents from scoring.
Slater did have something to celebrate on Tuesday, as his fiancee on Monday night
gave birth to the couple's first child, a daughter named Tyla.
The ease of Australia's opening win has critics predicting a one-sided tournament,
given that New Zealand are considered by many as the Kangaroos' major threat.
England are considered the only other side capable of pushing the host nation, but
they also struggled on the weekend to beat Papua New Guinea 32-22 in Townsville.
Australian players expected England to be better for their first hit-out, and lock
Paul Gallen predicted a very physical clash after being impressed by the size of the
England players when the two teams gathered at Government House.
"They're very willing and they're very big too," Gallen said.
"I went to a function yesterday with them and they were towering over me, which
isn't that hard, but they're all big blokes and they met a pretty competitive team
the other night."
About 28,000 tickets have been sold for Sunday's clash and Telstra Dome officials
expect a crowd of more than 40,000.