Manly centre Dylan Walker could be racing the clock to be fit for the opening round of the NRL after scans confirmed a broken leg and dislocated ankle for the young star.
Walker was taken to hospital after he was awkwardly tackled in the second half of the Prime Minister's XIII's 48-4 win over Papua New Guinea on Saturday.
He was released hour later, but only after his right ankle had been put back in place and his fibula confirmed as fractured.
The Manly centre will be assessed by Sea Eagles medical staff this week, but initial reports from team medicos in PNG suggest he'll almost certainly need surgery and will be sidelined for about five months.
Walker was stretchered from the National Football Stadium in Port Morseby after he made a 40-metre break that ended with a number of defenders landing on his ankle as they attempted to tackle him.
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The game was stopped for several minutes, while the crowd was silenced for the only time of the afternoon.
The injury ends the 22-year-old's Australian World Cup hopes, however it's understood he may also require off-season shoulder surgery.
It's a disappointing end to a dominant season for Manly's leading point scorer, who crossed for 13 tries in 25 games on moving back to the centres.
