Cronulla has been dealt a crushing blow to its premiership run with news fullback Will Kennedy likely won’t play again before finals.
The Sharks announced on Monday Kennedy will undergo surgery on after injuring his ankle in round 20.
Incredibly, the No.1 was able to remain on the field after the injury, and played a role in his side’s thrilling extra-time victory over South Sydney.
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The club expects Kennedy to miss “five or six games”, and with five games remaining in the regular season he almost certainly won’t be back before the playoffs.
The Sharks are destined to finish inside the top eight and feature in the post-season, where Kennedy will be vital to their title charge.
In the meantime, Cronulla has a number of options available to fill the Kennedy void.
Both halves – Matt Moylan and Nicho Hynes – can play fullback, with Braydon Trindall ready to jump into a playmaker role to cover a potential spine switch.
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When Kennedy missed two games earlier in the season, Hynes played fullback one week, and the next Lachlan Miller made his NRL debut in the jumper.
The Sharks’ round 21 team will be announced at 4pm on Tuesday.
They sit third on the NRL ladder.
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