Isaiya Katoa will miss Tonga's World Cup game against Lebanon on Friday night with injury.
It's understood Katoa will be fit again for next weekend's crunch clash with Samoa, which could be a sudden death shootout for both teams, pending on results across the board during Week 2.
Katoa was named at halfback to clash with Lebanon on Tuesday in partnership with Tuimoala Lolohea, but will now miss the game to be played at CommBank Stadium.
Latu Fainu, who was also under an injury cloud, was originally named on the bench, but could come into the starting side, while Talatau Amone is the other option, but was named among the reserves.
Amone will likely come into the team, with the only question being whether it will be in the starting side, or off the bench.
The former Dragon, who spent time out of the game after an off-field issue, was only cleared to play the World Cup after squads were named, with Tonga originally naming 24 players in the hope he would be.
Amone has been in excellent form at QLD Cup level, looking to use that as well as the World Cup to land an NRL return next year.
Fainu and Katoa were Tonga's halves last weekend in Perth as they overcame England in a critical result for the outcome of the tournament.
Kristian Woolf's side looked good from the outset against the Three Lions, and go into Friday's game as heavy favourites to overwhelm Lebanon, who lost its tournament opener to Papua New Guinea in Port Moresby.
