Gold Coast second-rower Greg Bird has joined the high-profile list of NRL stars requiring off-season surgery.
The Kangaroos' World Cup winner carried an elbow injury for the majority of 2013 and is hoping to go under the knife next week.
Bird is expecting to be back on deck for the Auckland Nines competition in February, as is Australian teammate Billy Slater, who had an arthroscope on Thursday on the knee injury which almost sidelined him from the Cup final.
Injury news at the Roosters is also positive, with Roger Tuivasa-Sheck avoiding surgery for a leg fracture and Shaun Kenny-Dowall ahead of schedule in his recovery from a broken jaw suffered in the grand final.
However, the news isn't so good for Cronulla and Penrith.
Luke Lewis will miss the start of the Sharks' season after the shoulder injury he suffered in the World Cup when he went crashing into a fence.
And the Panthers will be without Tonga strike weapon Sika Manu for up to six months after he also returned from England needing a shoulder reconstruction.
Bird said his elbow injury had become "ugly" but is hopeful it won't stand in his way of starting for the Titans' Nines team.
"I'm hoping to have surgery on it next week. I see the specialist on Monday," he said on Thursday.
"I think it's a four-to-six-week recovery and that will put me back on the paddock about the time the Nines starts.
"I got a knock on it in Origin II and it's got a bit of bone floating through it and the bursas, which protects the elbow joint, keeps swelling up every time it gets a bump."
In other injury news, Tigers playmaker Tim Moltzen had surgery last week after virtually cracking his kneecap into two pieces.
The Tigers have centre Tim Simona (shoulder) out for six months and Chris Lawrence (ankle), Curtis Sironen (groin) and Keith Galloway (toe) unable to train.
At Manly, co-captain Jason King (shoulder) is hopeful of returning to full training in the new year, with Richie Fa'aoso (neck) also a chance to continue his career.
Canterbury's Frank Pritchard picked up a hamstring injury during the World Cup, Parramatta's Darcy Lussick had groin surgery, while at Souths Nathan Merritt and Beau Champion are overcoming niggles.
