Hull Kingston Rovers have confirmed that Terry Campese is set to miss the rest of the season.
The influential halfback suffered a further injury in the recent defeat to Wigan Warriors, rupturing his hamstring tendon midway through the second half.
He was sent to see a specialist last week, with scans revealing the full extent of the damage.
Campese, 31, has already started lengthy rehabilitation process but is expected to be ruled out of action for the remainder of the season.
Head of rugby Jamie Peacock said: “This is really disappointing news for the club and for Terry, who has suffered greatly with injuries this season and done his very best to return as quickly as possible each time.
“When he has played for us, his quality and leadership skills have been clear to see, so we shall certainly miss his influence out on the field. However, the club reached the Challenge Cup final and completed the season without Terry’s services towards the end of last year, whilst this season we have demonstrated our ability to win and win well without him.”
Campese recently put on a mesmeric performance as Rovers decimated Wakefield, highlighting his importance to the team. However, injuries have hampered his Rovers career, with an ACL injury seeing his season cut short in 2015.
“We have every faith in the likes of Albert Kelly, Maurice Blair and Matty Marsh to step up as required over the coming months and we are actively looking to strengthen the squad if the right player becomes available too,” Peacock added.
“It’s another example of the injury situation we are facing at the club at the moment but we are staying positive as a group. There is plenty of togetherness in the squad and those who have been playing through the pain barrier recently have an opportunity to recover this week and prepare for our next match against Warrington Wolves a week on Friday.”