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."
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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."
