SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - MARCH 04: Peta Hiku of the Panthers touches his injured eye during the round one NRL match between the St George Illawarra Dragons and the Penrith Panthers at UOW Jubilee Oval on March 4, 2017 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

The Penrith Panthers will be without outside back Peta Hiku for a lengthy period after scans today revealed the full extent of the facial injury he suffered in the match against the Dragons on Saturday.

Panthers coach Anthony Griffin today confirmed to media that Hiku has sustained a fracture eye socket and will be sidelined for at least a month.

Hiku copped the injury via a swinging arm from St George Illawarra Dragons prop Russell Packer early in Saturday's game. Despite the injury, Hiku played out the rest of the game.

The tackle by Packer was not penalised or cited by the NRL Match Review Committee.