Huddersfield Giants full-back Jake Mamo has been ruled out for the rest of the season.
The 23-year-old Australian damaged a foot in the win over St Helens last month and has since been diagnosed with a Lisfranc injury.
Giants coach Rick Stone said: "It basically binds the two major bones in your foot and, when that ruptures, you don't have the same ability to push off on the foot.
"He's had an operation and it's going to take a long period of recovery to get him back."
Mamo played a significant part in the Giants' mid-season revival after making a delayed debut in April following a motorbike accident. The former Newcastle Knights player went on to score 12 tries in his first eight appearances in Super League.
Stone added: "It's an injury that players definitely come back from so there's no real concern but it takes time and our goal now is to get him ready for next year."
Stone used Lee Gaskell and Darnell McIntosh at full-back in Mamo's absence earlier in the year but will now turn to Jordan Rankin who made his debut in the No 1 role against Salford last weekend.
Huddersfield have other injury problems for the visit of Widnes on Friday. They will be without winger Aaron Murphy who has ruptured toe ligaments while prop Seb Ikahifo has been suffering from concussion.