Newcastle RL: Macquarie search for replacement halfback with Searle ruled out

Scorpions playmaker Bayden Searle has been sidelined after suffering a broken leg. Picture by Peter Lorimer

Macquarie coach Steve Kidd will spend this week working out who wears the No.7 jersey in Newcastle Rugby League's preliminary final after scans confirmed the worst for halfback Bayden Searle.

Kidd has a few options available to partner Scorpions five-eighth Jeremy Gibson but wants to see combinations in action at training with Searle now ruled out because of a broken leg.

Kurt Aldridge, Kerrod Holland and Dean Morris are all in the mix according to the outgoing Macquarie mentor, who is poised to finish up and have Scorpions assistant Matt Roach take over in 2023 and 2024.

"Wrighty [Jayden Wright] was our back up half but he's out for the season as well. He's been out of reserve grade for the last month or so," Kidd said.

"So he would have been our number one option, but we have a few options there.

"We could play Kurt Aldridge at seven. We could move Kerrod Holland to six and put Kyle Kingston [concussion] back to fullback if he's back this week. Dean Morris has played in the halves in reggies all year and has done a great job on our wing so it might be worth rolling the dice and giving him a crack.

"First and foremost we need to work out who is playing and then come up with a plan."

Macquarie host Cessnock at Lyall Peacock Field on Saturday (2pm) with the winner progressing to this year's decider while the loser has their 2022 season ended.

Searle went down injured midway through the first half of a 42-14 major semi loss to the Pickers at Maitland Sportsground on Saturday, having scored a try and played well in a 36-18 qualifying semi win over Central at St John Oval a week earlier.

The Dubbo junior, who played NRL Nines with the Knights at the start of 2020 and joined the Scorpions for this campaign, took on the defensive line around 15 metres out in the 23^rd minute.

Searle was tackled by Maitland prop James Taylor and showed obvious signs of pain while on the ground before being taken off. He didn't return to the field and underwent X-rays on Sunday.

"The footy gods just not going his way," Kidd said.

Taylor (dangerous contact) and Macquarie forward Bobby Treacy (crusher tackle) were charged by the Newcastle RL match review committee on Monday. They each face two-game suspensions with early guilty pleas.

Scorpions second-rower Malik Deyaolu (shoulder) was the other injury concern.

Cessnock arrive on the back of consecutive wins in elimination encounters.