Hodkinson, who has signed a three-year deal with the Knights starting next season, left the field in the 26th minute after throwing the final pass for a try by centre Tim Lafai.

A split-second after delivering the ball, the NSW Origin playmaker was hit in a crunching tackle by future teammate Tariq Sims.

He immediately grabbed his right arm and appealed to Canterbury's medical staff for treatment, before heading back to the dressing room to play no further role in proceedings.

There were early fears that he may have broken his wrist, but it was subsequently reported that he had instead suffered ligament damage.

He returned to watch the second half from the sideline dressed in a tracksuit.

The indefinite loss of their goalkicking halfback on the eve of the finals would be a body blow for the Bulldogs, although it could be offset by the expected return next week of enigmatic five-eighth Josh Reynolds from a knee injury.

After Hodkinson's withdrawal, elusive Moses Mbye assumed control of the first-receiver duties and NSW back-rower Josh Jackson switched to five-eighth.

The Bulldogs weathered an early barrage from Newcastle, buoyed by a parochial crowd of 23,604, to rack up their fourth successive victory and stay in striking distance of the top four heading into the final round.It was the last home game for Kurt Gidley, Clint Newton, Beau Scott and Tyrone Roberts in Newcastle's colours, so it was always going to be an emotional occasion.

Gidley ran through a guard of honour and giant banner and carried his two young daughters onto the field before kick-off.

Appearing in his 250th top-grade game for his home-town club, the Newcastle skipper created the opening try with a deft chip kick, which bounced favourably for Sims to score.Gidley then converted from the sideline to cap a perfect start by the Knights.

The visitors hit back against the run of play in the 20th minute, when winger Curtis Rona intercepted a pass from Knights fullback Jake Mamo and raced 95 metres to score.

Canterbury grabbed a 10-6 lead with Lafai's try, and six minutes later extended the advantage to 14-6 when hooker Damien Cook exploded out of dummy-half and raced 35 metres to score.

A try by winger Nathan Ross from a Roberts grubber kick kept the Knights in touch, before Bulldogs back-rower Frank Pritchard scored in the 63rd minute to give his side an eight-point buffer.

But some last-gasp heroics from Gidley, who burst through in the 70th minute to score next to the posts, left the game hanging in the balance until the full-time siren.

Both teams were left with players on report for high tackles: Knights prop Kade Snowden for a hit on Greg Eastwood, and Pritchard for a swinging arm on Mamo.

Newcastle prop Korbin Sims was carried from the field late in the second half after suffering what appeared to be an ankle injury.