The Newcastle Knights have confirmed that Bradman Best will miss Sunday's game against the Gold Coast Titans after suffering a calf injury at training on Saturday.
In a statement the club revealed the suspected injury timeline.
"Club medical staff anticipate Best will miss approximately three matches, with his return to play to be determined by his response to rehabilitation," it read.
"Best will commence a structured rehabilitation program immediately, under the guidance of the club's medical and high-performance teams."
Although not viewed as an Origin walk-in, Best was in conversations for the Blues jersey ahead of Game 1, and with Mitchell's availability still yet to be confirmed, his chances were increasing.
Knights young gun Fletcher Hunt will slot into Best's centre position.
