Utility-back Simi Sasagi will be unavailable for much of the first half of Newcastle's 2023 NRL campaign after undergoing surgery to repair an injured shoulder.
Sasagi underwent a full reconstruction on Wednesday after injuring his left shoulder during pre-season training in recent weeks.
The 21-year-old Kiwi, a fancied prospect at the club over recent years who came along last season making 14 appearances, will now be forced to embark on a six-month recovery period.
That time-frame, barring no delays, would likely rule him out for at least the first third of the season.
Newcastle will have played 11 games by the time six months comes around.
The injury is a big blow for Sasagi given his development and for coach Adam O'Brien so early in the preseason as the Knights work to improve on last season's 14th placed-finish.
Newcastle dealt with an injury crisis early last season and will be hoping to head into their next campaign with much healthier depth across their playing roster.
Sasagi, who has made 16 career appearances, played 12 of his 14 games last season off the interchange bench but with fullback Kalyn Ponga poised for a switch to five-eighth in 2023, he may have had a decent chance of earning a start in the back-line.
The Auckland product re-signed with the Knights earlier this year for a further two years and remains contracted until the end of the 2024 season.
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