Wigan Warriors stand-off Bevan French will be out for around four months having torn his hamstring.
French had a scan following the injury, which occurred late in their victory against Toulouse on Saturday.
The Super League leaders have confirmed he will now be sidelined for 16 weeks, ruling him out until early July with around 11 games of the 2026 campaign remaining.
French, who usually plays at stand-off, had been filling in at full-back after Jai Field was ruled out due to appendicitis last week, giving the club a positional headache.
“He seems alright, he’s a positive character,” head coach Matt Peet told Radio Manchester.
“There was some frustration in chatting to him on the way home. He’s got himself in great shape. He felt like he had some good form ahead of him.
“He’s quite philosophical, Bevan. He quickly flips a switch.
“Now he knows the timeframe and the schedule for his recovery, like most professionals he can get his head down now and focus on the present.”