Fringe Wallaby Karmichael Hunt may have played his last Super Rugby match for the season.
Hunt hasn't played since Queensland's loss to the Crusaders on May 6 because of a persistent groin injury and he has been ruled out of Friday night's clash with the Brumbies.
And co-coach Nick Stiles admits it will be tough for Hunt to play again for the franchise this year with three rounds remaining in the regular season.
"It's one of those really funny sort of injuries - they just linger," Stiles said.
"It's genuinely, I hate to say it, a week-to-week thing just to see how the strengthening in it goes and what range of movement he has," Stiles said.
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"It's just the nature of that injury, they're very well-documented those injuries, they linger, and then it gets to a point where bang, you're good to go."
Hunt is a favourite of Michael Cheika's and was a red-hot chance of making his Wallabies debut against England, but he was never able to hit full capacity at training and took no part in the three-Test series earlier this month.
The longer Hunt remains on the sidelines, the less likely he will be to earn his first international cap later in the year.
Cheika is likely to rely on his experienced European-based backline core along with the new faces who featured in the England series for the opening two fixtures of the Rugby Championship against New Zealand.
"He was in the squad, Michael had good numbers in there and he was going to rotate blokes through there," Stiles said.
"He could have had an opportunity.
"But Karmichael's frustration at missing out through there has now just really gone into his focus for getting himself fit and healthy and back on the training park."
