The Dolphins have lost Jeremy Marshall-King until the eve of the NRL's finals after scans confirmed the hooker required surgery on his foot.
Dolphins officials on Tuesday breathed a sigh of relief with scans showing Marshall-King avoided a Lisfranc fracture that would have ended his season.
But the news was still not great.
The 28-year-old suffered fractures in his second and third metatarsals during the club's 26-6 loss to St George Illawarra.
He will therefore be out for at least eight weeks, returning in round 25 at the earliest.
In the worst-case scenario, Marshall-King may not play again until the finals.
After sitting in the top four for most the season, the Dolphins' year is currently at risk of slipping away after one win in their past four matches.
While they remain in sixth position on the ladder, they are only one point clear of ninth-placed Manly.
After this week's bye, the Dolphins must still face Penrith, the Sydney Roosters, Warriors and Canterbury in the period in which Marshall-King will be out.
Versatile hooker Max Plath is one option to replace the Kiwi rake.
Prop Thomas Flegler is also still out with a shoulder injury, while utility Kurt Donoghoe has copped a three-match ban for a high tackle.
In better news, fullback Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow should be fit for Origin III after the club's bye.
Coach Wayne Bennett this week lashed the club, unhappy with the way the team had put themselves at risk of missing the finals.
"We have put ourselves in this situation, with the good and bad of it," Bennett told AAP.
"The bottom line is that we control all that and no one else can drag us out of it except ourselves.
"The injury toll is starting to get a bit high again, so that makes the challenge even bigger."
