A foot injury has all but ended Raymond Faitala-Mariner’s NRL season, with the Canterbury second-rower set to sit out for up to 20 weeks.
Already without the suspended Luke Thompson through suspension until round five, the Bulldogs were dealt another rough hand on Tuesday with the Faitala-Mariner news.
Faitala-Mariner was injured in Saturday’s 28-0 loss to Penrith, with scans later revealing an incomplete fracture in his right foot will require surgery this week.
He will not return until round 18 at the absolute earliest, but the Bulldogs fear his actual return date could be four weeks later.
It came after the 27-year-old had only reclaimed his starting spot from Corey Waddell last week, after starting round one off the bench.
The injury means Joe Stimson has been called up onto the bench for Saturday’s trip to Brisbane, while Tui Katoa has been named to replace the suspended Dallin Watene-Zelezniak at wing.