We love the mighty Canberra Raiders
The Canberra Raiders NRL finals hopes have been dealt a major blow with star prop Josh Papali'i ruled out for the remainder of the season.
The veteran will undergo surgery on Tuesday for a bicep tendon injury suffered in Canberra's loss to the Broncos. Papali'i faces a recovery time of approximately three to four months, according to the club.
It rules Papali'i out of Sunday's must-win clash with the Cronulla Sharks and any finals footy the Raiders play throughout the next month.
Canberra's hopes of making the NRL's top eight have suffered a hammer blow with veteran prop Josh Papali'i ruled out for the rest of the season.
The Samoan international suffered a torn bicep tendon in Saturday's defeat to Brisbane and will undergo surgery later this week.
The injury is expected to prevent him from featuring in Samoa's end-of-year internationals against Australia and New Zealand.
The loss of the 31-year-old could not have come at a worst time for the Raiders, who must defeat Cronulla on Sunday to ensure they secure finals football.
Papali'i's absence will likely bring Pasaami Saulo onto Canberra's bench...
Canberra Raiders prop Josh Papalii, an integral player for the team, will unfortunately be out for the rest of the 2023 season due to a serious biceps injury.
The news, reported by the official Raiders website, has left fans and teammates devastated.
Papalii, known for his explosive runs and strong defensive capabilities, will require surgery on his biceps tendon.
This procedure will be performed today, but the recovery period is expected to be lengthy, ruling him out for the remainder of the season.