The Parramatta Eels have been dealt the worst possible news on star hooker Reed Mahoney, with his season set to be finished thanks to a shoulder injury.
Mahoney was left in tears following the incident at the back end of Parramatta's Friday night loss to the South Sydney Rabbitohs, with Brad Arthur's side letting in 40 points.
But the Eels' coach will have bigger problems than that to worry about, with Mahoney, who was called into the Queensland squad before originally injuring the same shoulder earlier in the year, not expected to play again this year.
Arthur had said in the post game press conference that the injury could end Mahoney's season, and those fears have now been confirmed.
Nrl.com is reporting that following scans and consultation with specialists, the injury will require a significant length of time to recover.
Mahoney has been an integral part of Parramatta's current position in the top four this season.
The 23-year-old has slowly turned himself into one of the best dummy halves in the competition, making an immediate and noticeable difference to the Eels when he returned from injury the first time.
He has played 17 games this season, scoring three tries and assisting another 13, while also adding 13 line breaks and being dangerous running the ball with 12 offloads.
Defensively, he is rock solid with a 96% tackle efficiency.
Joey Lussick is Parramatta's back up rake and came into the side when Mahoney was missing with his disloacted shoulder, so will likely come back into the team to finish the season.
It's a bitter blow however for the blue and gold as they attempt to cling onto a top-four spot. They are now equal on points with the Sydney Roosters and just two ahead of the Manly Sea Eagles, but face one of the competition's toughest runs home.
Mahoney is joined on the sidelines by Reagan Campbell-Gillard, who, like the hooker, may not play again until finals.
The injury may only ramp up the pressure on Brad Arthur, with his side losing three games on the hop following Friday's horrid performance against South Sydney.
The Parramatta board came out in support of Arthur this season, who is contracted until the end of next season, however, with two semi-final bomb outs in a row, Parramatta can ill-afford the same result in the 2021 season.
The Eels first game on the run home without Mahoney will see them play the Manly Sea Eagles in a critical clash next Saturday.