Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs have received scan results for their star edge back rower Sitili Tupouniua, and it's not the news the club wanted to hear.
Tupouniua returned from a long-term hamstring injury on Friday night and only played a handful of minutes before he was forced to the sidelines with a similar issue.
The energetic forward spent eight weeks on the sidelines after he sustained the injury in Round 16.
CODE Sports have revealed he will face a similar timeline on his latest setback.
Tupouniua brings plenty of energy and tenacity when he takes the field with the Bulldogs and it comes as a great loss with their slim premiership credentials.
It is understood Tupouniua's hamstring injury is set to be season-ending unless the club can reach the first week of October, but will have to get past the likes of the Panthers, Warriors, and Roosters.
Tupouniua joins rising star half Mitchell Woods in the Bulldogs casualty ward, whose season has also derailed, with the young playmaker suffering similar recurring issues since February.
The Tongan international was showcasing career-best form in the early rounds of the season before being struck down with the initial injury in June.
Coach Cameron Ciraldo was understandably upset at facing the prospect of being without his star backrower for another lengthy period.
“He's pretty devastated because he was training really well,” Ciraldo said following his side's crushing two-point loss on Friday.
“He was just excited to get back playing. This is what he does, this is what he loves doing, so he's pretty shattered.”
Ciraldo remains all praise for what Tupouniua brings to his team.
“He brings a fair bit of intensity to the way we train,” the Bulldogs coach added.
“He's been up there with our best players all year, consistently. He just brings so much to our team, physical wise, but also energy-wise.
“The thing I've been most surprised by Sitili in his two years here is the leadership that he brings. He's really come along in terms of leading young guys, and we've done well the last few weeks, but we've known that it'd be great when we have Sitili back on the field, and just watching him out there training last night gave everyone a little bit of excitement.”
The Bulldogs dropped a crucial match in their fight for a Top 8 spot, which remains in the balance, and finished the round in ninth place.
The Rabbitohs and Cowboys make up spots seven and eight, with one win separating them from the Bulldogs.
Meanwhile, Manly are just two points behind them and threaten to overtake them if they can secure a win, with an impressive for-and-against margin working in the Sea Eagles' favour.
The Bulldogs will host the Bunnies on Friday in do-or-die circumstances as they push to play in the finals in September.
