St George Illawarra are facing a stint without Kangaroos star Josh Dugan after he broke his cheekbone during Australia's 30-12 Test victory over New Zealand
Dugan went to hospital for scans after a heavy head clash with St George Illawarra teammate Russell Packer in the second half of Friday night's match in Canberra.
"We believe it's a depressed fracture of the cheekbone," Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga said post-match.
"He's at hospital at the moment, so we're just waiting on some news there but the cheekbone's definitely broken.
"I'm not quite sure what the extent (of the injury) is yet."
The injury is a major blow for the second-placed Dragons who are also likely to be without five-eighth Gareth Widdop for the next four to five weeks as he recovers from a knee injury.
Dugan's hopes of lining up for NSW in the opening State Of Origin match in Brisbane on May 31 are also in serious jeopardy.
The 26-year-old was outstanding in the first half of the Kangaroos' win, scoring the opening try of the match with a spectacular leap to score off a Johnathan Thurston cross-field kick.
"Josh was nearly our best player in that first half," Meninga said.
"The whole team's defence was outstanding but him on the right edge was fantastic."
Share
