The Melbourne Storm will be without Jonah Pezet for at least the next six weeks after he suffered a fractured collarbone playing reserve grade on the weekend.
The injury came during Melbourne Storm feeder club the Brisbane Tigers' clash with the Townsville Blackhawks on Sunday.
Pezet, who made his NRL debut earlier this year and has spent time in the first-grade side replacing both Cameron Munster and Jahrome Hughes, is rated as one of the best young halves in the game.
With four games already under his belt, and last featuring against the Manly Sea Eagles during Round 7, he was expected to come into Melbourne's side during the State of Origin period to replace Cameron Munster, who could miss as many as four games.
Given Craig Bellamy's usual hesitancy to have players backing up on just a few days break, Munster could miss Round 14 against the North Queensland Cowboys (Sunday after Origin 1), Round 16 against the Wests Tigers prior to Origin 2), Round 17 against the Manly Sea Eagles (Saturday after Origin 2) and Round 20 against the Sydney Roosters (Saturday after Origin 3).
Pezet would have been expected to play all those games, but now, even a six-week return will only leave him available to play against Manly and the Roosters missing the first two against the Cowboys and Tigers.
In his absence, the Storm would likely be forced to turn to Tyran Wishart or Jayden Nikorima, while Nick Meaney featuring in the halves is also an option if Ryan Papenhuyzen is back on the field by that stage.
The Storm are still refusing to put a return timeline on Papenhuyzen as he battled to return from a knee injury sustained last August.
Melbourne have also confirmed the status of a number of other players, with outside back George Jennings and forward Alec MacDonald a chance to return through the QLD Cup this weekend, and Jack Howarth to spend a month on the sidelines.
