Queensland and Wallabies flyer Jordan Petaia is set to miss the rest of 2024 Super Rugby Pacific after sustaining a shoulder injury last week.
Reds coach Les Kiss informed media on Tuesday Petaia's season was likely over after he reeled away from an attempted tackle on Timoci Tavatavanawai during Friday's clash with the Highlanders.
Catch every game of Super Rugby Pacific LIVE, ad-free and on demand on Stan Sport.
Petaia left the field in the 32nd minute and took no further part in the 31-0 win with Hunter Paisami and Tim Ryan covering the outside centre role.
"(Jordan)'s obviously disappointed but he's gone and spoken with the specialists talking through the next layer and getting that done. Once he's got a pathway he can move forward and go from there," Kiss said on Tuesday.
"It's a blow without a doubt, a player of his calibre, the types of game he brings for us, his physical size, his power.
"When you couple that with losing Fraser (McReight), Tate (McDermott), Seru (Uru), there's some good players who've been left out."
With Petaia expected to undergo surgery and miss the rest of Queensland's season, Kiss will be sweating on the fitness of specialist outside centre Josh Flook ahead of a massive Anzac Weekend battle against the Blues.
Flook missed last week's win over the Highlanders after injuring his shoulder against Moana Pasifika but is hopeful of an early return.
"With (Josh) it's not structural, it's just that extra pain there so we'll se how he goes but I'd say it looks promising at this stage," Kiss said.
Should Flook be ruled out, Paisami could don the #13 jersey following his standout performance against the Highlanders with Lawson Creighton and Taj Annan vying for a start at #12.
Veteran playmaker James O'Connor is another who could come into consideration at inside centre as he nears a return from his lengthy injury layover.
In better news for Queensland fans, Fraser McReight's three-week suspension for a high tackle has been reduced to two weeks after the flanker underwent World Rugby's Coaching Intervention Program.
