Jamal Fogarty still has to get scans, but the Canberra Raiders medical staff are pretty sure the halfback has ruptured his biceps.
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That will see Raiders coach Ricky Stuart name Kaeo Weekes in the No.7 jersey to face the Cronulla Sharks at Canberra Stadium on Sunday.
Weekes will make his Raiders debut, having shifted to the capital in the off-season after playing 12 games for Manly.
It will be Weekes' and five-eighth Ethan Strange's first NRL game in the halves together, but they did partner up in Canberra's pre-season trials.
The pair were locked in a pre-season battle for the Green Machine No.6 jersey, with Strange edging out Weekes.
Strange has shown plenty of lime green shoots across the opening seven rounds and now Weekes will get his chance.
The 22-year-old was set to play NSW Cup for the Raiders against the North Sydney Bears on Sunday, but he's been saved for the Sharks.
Stuart also had Adam Cook and Simi Sasagi as options, with Cook returning to Canberra this year as a back-up halfback having been used as a fullback in his first stint with the club.
Raiders captain Elliott Whitehead (calf) won't be available to play Cronulla, but could return to face Manly at Brookvale Oval the following week.
"I'm going to put Kaeo to seven," Stuart said.
"He was going to come back with Emre [Guler on Sunday] and play NSW Cup, but I pulled him out of that and he just came home with us.
"He's just been in and did a little bit work at the centre [on Sunday].
"We've had a whole pre-season where we've been mixing our halves up with Jordan [Rapana] at fullback and Chevy [Stewart] at fullback so [Strange and Weekes have] played a fair bit.
"It won't be brand new playing with each other. They've had a little bit of time together."
Fogarty injured his biceps in the first half of the Raiders' 34-10 loss to Brisbane at Lang Park on Saturday night.
He'll have scans on Monday, which were expected to confirm he'll require surgery.
That's expected to sideline him for at least 12 weeks - which would see an earliest return of round 20 against the New Zealand Warriors at Canberra Stadium on July 19.
It's a big blow for the Green Machine, who had started the season strongly - despite going through a transitional period.
They're inside the top eight after the opening seven rounds and have a strong platform to build on.
Fogarty's form has been a large part of that, with the halfback's kicking game emerging as a weapon.
It will now be up to the likes of Strange and Weekes to shoulder that load.
"We'll get scans tomorrow, but our medical people are pretty sure that it's ruptured," Stuart said.
"It's a shame. He's a big blow."
NRL ROUND EIGHT
Sunday: Canberra Raiders v Cronulla Sharks at Canberra Stadium, 4.05pm.