Knights 38 Cowboys 24

DANNY BUDERUS appears to have played his last game in the NRL after the Knights skipper suffered a suspected ruptured biceps during the win against the Cowboys in Newcastle last night.

A devastated Buderus declined to speak to the media after the game, but Knights coach Brian Smith said doctors feared the injury could require surgery, which would leave the 30-year-old hooker facing a six-month recovery.

Buderus, who debuted for the Knights in 1997 and has since captained his club, state and country, has signed a two-season deal with Leeds Rhinos starting next year.

Newcastle's penultimate-round fixture against Melbourne at EnergyAustralia Stadium on Saturday night was to have been his last home game.

He has a farewell lunch organised for Wednesday, which could be a sombre affair if last night's initial diagnosis is confirmed.

"It looked like he's ruptured his biceps, so he's not very good at the moment," Smith said.

"It's a pretty sombre dressing room in there at the moment … the doctors pretty much know how to estimate the damage there off the bat when it's as bad as it apparently is.

"I guess everything is subject to the scanning and all that, so that they get the exact images to make a full decision, but that certainly doesn't look good."

Asked how long the estimated recovery period would be, Smith replied: "It would depend on how bad it is, but if it requires surgery it's a six-month injury."

Smith said rugby league "can be very cruel".

"Not many people get to go out on their own terms in this game," he said.

"It will be very sad for him if he misses the big farewell … he'd like to go out with his boots on, I'm sure."

Knights fullback Kurt Gidley said the news came as a shock to Buderus's teammates after the match.

"I thought he must have had a rest and come off early," Gidley said.

"But then I came in the sheds and found out the news. He was pretty shattered."

Buderus has played 220 games in the blue and red and rates as arguably the greatest player the Knights have produced after Andrew Johns, and one of the finest hookers of the modern era.

In his likely absence, Newcastle have to somehow regroup to win at least one of their last two games - against Melbourne (home) and Brisbane (away) - if they hope to reach the finals.

They will need to improve dramatically on last night's display, which lifted them to eighth on the ladder.

Stung by last week's 38-18 loss to Canberra, the Knights came out firing. It was one-way traffic from the outset and Newcastle led 30-0 at half-time.

Just when it seemed like the Knights would run up a cricket score, the Cowboys staged a remarkable, albeit forlorn, revival after the break.

Tries by Luke O'Donnell (two), Ty Williams and Aaron Payne reduced the margin to 30-18, then 36-24. With 11 minutes left, the Cowboys were somehow only 12 points behind.

Newcastle could rue North Queensland's fightback in two weeks' time, when for-and-against statistics may be crucial in deciding who squeaks into the play-offs and who misses out.

In the end, they needed a 72nd-minute penalty goal from Gidley to ice the result.

The Knights had produced a flying start with an incredible try by Buderus in the very first minute of play.

They increased their lead in the ninth minute when they spun the ball wide and veteran centre Adam MacDougall powered through some flimsy defence for his seventh try of the year.

Gidley added the extras from near the sideline to make it 12-0.

Newcastle maintained their furious start in the 16th minute when Mullen chip-kicked for left winger Wes Naiqama, who was all alone and raced away to score one of the easiest tries of his career.

From 18-0 it soon became 24-0 when back-rower Cameron Ciraldo stab-kicked through the defensive line and winger James McManus pounced to force it for a try.

Newcastle were still not satisfied, and after Mullen darted over in the 36th minute, the scoreline read 30-0.