!["It's a big thing, definitely; it's a big blow" ... Charlie Henderson. Picture by Mark Bode "It's a big thing, definitely; it's a big blow" ... Charlie Henderson. Picture by Mark Bode](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/KUhQizDbwW8WqAyPP4x5yp/8a33d441-83be-45da-928c-4e6ede613ac6.jpg/r0_63_3563_2343_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
It's the cruellest blow of electric No 1 Charlie Henderson's rugby league career.
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A head knock while "mucking around" left the year 12 Farrer student unconscious and unable to line up for the Northern Tigers in Sunday's Laurie Daley Cup semi-final against the Dragons.
From the high of scoring three tries at fullback in the Tigers' final round statement win over the Western Rams at Farrer on March 4, to the low of missing a game packed with importance.
"Still not great," Henderson said of his health. "Just constant headaches and all that.
"So I've just been resting up a bit. Gutted I'm missing the game, really."
![Henderson harasses the Titans in the Tigers' 42-20 win at Scully Park last month. Picture by Gareth Gardner Henderson harasses the Titans in the Tigers' 42-20 win at Scully Park last month. Picture by Gareth Gardner](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/KUhQizDbwW8WqAyPP4x5yp/c8c1c268-3f81-40f6-ae5f-11f44b144810.jpg/r0_0_3855_2688_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Henderson will be sideline when the Tigers take an arresting three-game winning streak into their clash against Illawarra South Coast at Wollongong's Collegians Sporting Complex on Sunday morning.
Reliable winger Keandre Johnson-Vale has been moved to fullback to cover for Henderson, who was knocked out after slipping over and hitting his head on concrete near his family's Dungowan farm on Saturday night.
He tried to train with the Tigers at Farrer on Tuesday, but said he got "really dizzy" and had "a bit of a moment".
He was then checked at Tamworth Hospital and diagnosed as having suffered a concussion, ruling him out of Sunday's match.
"I was really keen to play in it," he said of the Dragons showdown. "It's a big thing, definitely. It's a big blow."
![Rampaging Logan Spinks, seen here against the Rams, will lead the Tigers on Sunday. Picture by Gareth Gardner Rampaging Logan Spinks, seen here against the Rams, will lead the Tigers on Sunday. Picture by Gareth Gardner](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/KUhQizDbwW8WqAyPP4x5yp/52de7a7d-6fa6-471b-93a4-39963b569740.jpg/r0_0_3676_2505_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"I'm sure they'll be fine," he said of the Tigers. "They've been in good form. I hope they make the grand final, because I would really wanna play that."
Henderson said he would attend Tigers training on Saturday and "try and help Keandre out a bit, because no one else has really trained at fullback".
Henderson's concussion also resulted him missing Farrer's Alan Davidson Shield semi-final cricket clash against Merewether High at Newcastle on Friday.
He was at the game, though, and planned to stay with his elder brother, Mitchell, in Newcastle on Friday night before heading to Wollongong.
Mitchell will play halfback for the Knights in their Jersey Flegg encounter against St George Illawarra at Shellharbour on Saturday.
I think our past three games have made a mark.
- Tigers captain Logan Spinks
Henderson - who may watch that game - hopes to link with the Knights after finishing year 12 this year. He trained with the Knights' SG Ball squad in the recent pre-season.
Tigers coach Darryl Rando said Johnson-Vale was "pretty safe, and he's pretty keen to have a crack at the fullback spot".
"He's played a fair bit of it before," Rando added.
The experienced mentor said the two things he liked most about his side were their continual improvement and their ability to win after trailing in games.
Outstanding Tigers captain Logan Spinks said the side were "definitely" peaking at the right time.
"I think our past three games have made a mark," he said, "and I think we've got a lot of confidence going into it [the finals]."
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