Sunday 17 March 2019 12:09, UK
Wakefield winger Tom Johnstone has been ruled out of the rest of the season after being told he needs to undergo major knee surgery for the second time in two years.
Scans have confirmed the 23-year-old ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his left knee during Trinity's 32-12 win at Hull on Friday night.
It is similar to the injury Johnstone sustained to his right knee in April 2017 which ruled him out until the following February.
The club say he will have an operation in the next fortnight and begin a rehabilitation process that will hopefully see him come back bigger, faster and stronger in 2020.
Wakefield chief executive Michael Carter said: "I am devastated for Tom, who has started the season so strongly.
"I know he had his sights set on a fantastic season and a Great Britain tour at the end of it and to be cruelly struck down for the second time in two years is incredible bad luck.
"Tom will get through this again, supported by some fantastic people around him.
"I have been inundated with well wishes from Trinity fans, Hull FC fans and rugby league fans in general who know how good Tom is and how much he will be missed this season.
"I thank all those who have wished Tom well. I can't wait to see him pull on the jersey next year."
Johnstone, who was Super League's young player of the year in 2016, bounced back from his last injury, claiming a place in the 2018 Dream Team after scoring 24 tries in the regular season.
He made his England debut against France last October and, after scoring six tries in his first four matches of 2019, including a hat-trick in Trinity's 35-18 win at Leeds, was expected to push for a place on the end-of-season Great Britain tour of New Zealand and Papua New Guinea.
