The North Queensland Cowboys are likely to be stretched on the edge for the remainder of the 2022 season, with young gun Heilum Luki reportedly suffering an ACL injury.
Luki has been part of a Cowboys' team which have set the competition alight during the first portion of the season, sitting in the top four halfway through.
While he has seldom been included in the starting team behind Jeremiah Nanai and Tom Gilbert, his involvement off the bench has been excellent for Todd Payten's side.
Starting against the Dragons though with Jeremiah Nanai not backing up from playing for Queensland in State of Origin on Wednesday evening, he lasted just 15 minutes.
Copping an original knock, he played on for some minutes, however, then reeled out of a tackle minutes later in clear pain, heading straight off the field.
Fox Sports' sideline reporter Brent Tate said the worst fears were likely to be realised, with an ACL injury reported.
"Not great news coming out of the Cowboys' dressing sheds," Tate said.
"Heilum Luki - they are saying it's an ACL injury which is horrible, horrible news.
"He will need to go for scans to confirm that, but not good news from the Cowboys."
The hands-on test for an ACL injury is generally accurate, and so it's likely Luki could be looking at a full knee reconstruction, leading to a nine to twelve month recovery.
It means his entire pre-season for the 2023 season is likely to be ruined, when he could have been in contention with the arriving Luciano Leilua and Nanai for a starting spot, given Gilbert's impending departure to the Dolphins.
In the short-term, Connelly Lemuelu and Ben Condon are the most likely replacements to take the Cowboys through the remainder of the 2022 season.
North Queensland were leading 20 points to nil shortly before halftime.
