Newcastle Knights centre Bradman Best will reportedly be ruled out of Saturday evening's elimination final against the North Queensland Cowboys in a horrific blow for the club.
The Sydney Morning Herald are reporting Best has suffered yet another hamstring injury, with the centre having struggled at times this year with both hamstrings.
It's unclear whether the injury was picked up during Sunday afternoon's crunch Round 27 clash against the Dolphins - a win in which enabled the Knights to qualify for the finals in eighth spot - or at training this week.
Either way, the report says Best will be out with Knights' officials deeming him unfit for the trip to Townsville, which also includes more than three hours in the air each way for the Knights on a six-day turnaround after their home win against the Dolphins.
The centre has only managed 17 games this year owing to a number of hamstring injuries.
A likely shoe-in for State of Origin in the lead up to the series, Best was unable to follow up last year's debut until Game 3, and has been on and off the field at other times throughout the course of the campaign.
It's understood the new issue is with his left hamstring.
Coach Adam O'Brien - who at one point was believed to be fighting for his job owing to performance clauses in his new contract but is now likely safe after the Knights qualified for the finals - has a handful of options to shift into the centres.
Dylan Lucas, named to play at second-row is the most likely, with that move likely seeing either Jack Hetherington or Brodie Jones start at second-row, and Thomas Cant coming onto the bench. Kai Pearce-Paul is also named in the reserves and could be an option (if fit) to come into the side if Lucas does shift into the centres.
Jones himself has played centre previously, while Will Pryce is another option for the Knights. Centre Kyle McCarthy, who made his NRL debut in Round 24 against the Cronulla Sharks, has also been named in the 22-man squad to head to Townsville.
The Knights will update their side and cut to 19 players 24 hours out from kick-off.
