Jack Bird's luckless maiden season with Brisbane shows no signs of turning as the high-profile NRL utility faces the prospect of more surgery.
The Cronulla recruit required an off-season shoulder operation and had admitted to struggling for form and confidence while battling a sternum complaint once making his Broncos debut.
The 23-year-old has not played since round 10 and had originally hoped to return this weekend against his old club.
But, according to News Corp Australia, he will see a specialist on Monday to determine if surgery is needed to fix the issue that has plagued him for nine months.
Bird might reportedly miss as many as eight weeks if he goes under the knife.
"We're looking at getting more surgery for Jack," Broncos coach Wayne Bennett told News Corp.
"We're getting more advice so we need another specialist to look at him on Monday."
"I'm hoping his season isn't over. They (Broncos medical staff) are saying if he has the operation, it could be six weeks so there's a possibility he could be back this year.
Bird arrived as the big-money signing - purportedly on $800,000 a season - with the club hoping he could help to snap a 12-year premiership drought.
But he was unable to make a mark in eight games before being put on ice by Bennett.
"Jack can't play at the moment. He's in pain. He's no good for us if he can't play to his potential," Bennett said.
"It (his sternum injury) wasn't our doing. He came to our club with this injury. We need to get things sorted out for him."
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