Captain Paul Gallen could sit out just one NRL game for Cronulla with a biceps injury after scans revealed he wouldn't need season-ending surgery.
Gallen tore his upper right bicep in Sunday's loss to Newcastle and it was feared the NSW and Kangaroos representative would miss the rest of the season.
But in some rare good news for the Sharks in 2014, Gallen will play again this year and could just miss Friday's round-19 match with North Queensland at Remondis Stadium, with a possible return for the Sharks' trip to Penrith the week after.
The NSW skipper's swift healing properties were on show earlier this year when he returned from an ankle injury ahead of schedule.
With just eight games to go in the regular season, the Sharks will hope Gallen can repeat the effort as they seek to salvage something from a dismal season in which their finals hopes have already been extinguished.
Gallen suffered the injury in the second half of the Knights' stunning come-from-behind win before returning to the action and then rushing off to hospital post-game.
After scans revealed Gallen wouldn't need surgery, he consulted a specialist on Monday afternoon who gave the 32-year-old the news.
Sharks medico Dr George Pitsis said he expected Gallen to bounce back quickly from the injury.
The injury isn't as severe as that suffered by Wests Tigers playmaker Braith Anasta, who underwent surgery on a biceps complaint last week that may have ended his 15-year NRL career.
However Gallen's problem is similar to that of Manly forward Anthony Watmough, who has managed to play through much of the year with the injury.
Watmough will return from a three-game suspension for a dangerous throw on Nate Myles in State of Origin II in Manly's round-19 clash with St George Illawarra next Monday.
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