The North Queensland Cowboys have been struck a brutal blow to one of their most promising players, just weeks out from their Round 1 Vegas clash against the Newcastle Knights.
It has been revealed that outside back Tom Chester has suffered another injury setback, with the luckless centre sustaining an MCL issue at training ahead of the club's opening pre-season fixture.
According to The League Scene, Chester picked up the knee injury during training in the lead-up to the Cowboys' trial match against the Canterbury Bulldogs, placing his availability for the Las Vegas season opener in doubt.
The injury comes as a cruel blow for the 24-year-old, who was working his way back from an ACL rupture that sidelined him for the entire 2025 campaign.
Chester had been tracking strongly throughout the pre-season and was widely tipped to claim one of the Cowboys' centre spots to start the year, with the club preparing for its Round 1 clash against the Knights in Las Vegas.
However, the latest setback now threatens to derail those plans, adding to a frustrating run of injuries that have limited Chester to just 12 NRL appearances since making his debut in 2022.
The Cowboys are yet to confirm the severity of the MCL injury or provide a clear timeline on Chester's return, but any absence would further complicate North Queensland's backline depth ahead of the historic season opener.
