While Jamal Idris' colourful NRL playing career hangs by a thread, so too does the Wests Tigers' season.
As the Tigers prepare for a do-or-die clash with South Sydney on Friday night at ANZ Stadium, much of the club's focus is on Idris who is facing possible retirement due to a second ruptured ACL.
The 26-year-old will sit out the rest of the season after suffering the devastating knee injury on Saturday during a training mishap.
It's the same knee he injured during his time at Penrith, a blow which prompted him to walk away from the game and take an 18-month hiatus.
Facing his second knee reconstruction, coach Ivan Cleary said it wasn't yet clear if the former NSW and Australian representative would be forced to hang up his boots but he should know by next week.
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"That'll be up to Jamal," Cleary said.
"You can't really talk about that at the moment - there's so much to digest; there's so much disappointment; and we need to find out medically around his recovery.
"We'll know a bit more about that next Tuesday when he has his next appointment. We're giving him a bit of space at the moment."
Idris was only five games into his rugby league return after taking time off to travel the world.
He had signed a cut-price deal with the Tigers and was attempting to rebuild his career.
Not only is it a crushing blow for the former NSW and Australian representative, it's ill-timed given the Tigers are fighting to save their season and without influential skipper Aaron Woods (hamstring).
The Rabbitohs (13th) and Tigers (14th) head into the match with their seasons on the line and a loss will leave them needing to win nine of their last 14 to make the eight.
Malakai Watene-Zelezniak is tipped to make his Tigers debut after a mid-season switch from Penrith, while Souths coach Michael Maguire is expected to ring the changes after their last-start flogging by Manly.
Five-eighth Cody Walker is likely to move to fullback, with John Sutton to come into the halves, while winger Aaron Gray is tipped to return from a knee injury and Tyrell Fuimaono is in the frame to make his debut.
"I've got a group of players who are hungry to get back and playing again," Maguire said.
"The boys came back from the rep round and they're obviously in good spirits but, this week, the boys have shown some great signs about what they're working hard for."
STATS THAT MATTER:
* The Tigers have won just three of their opening nine matches this season, although they have claimed victories in two of four games since Ivan Cleary has taken over as coach
* The Tigers are aiming for their fifth-straight win against the Rabbitohs for the first time in the joint venture's history
Source: Fox Sports Stats
