NRL strugglers Gold Coast face another stint without captain and playmaker Scott Prince.
Prince has been ruled out of the Titans’ clash with Wests Tigers at Skilled Park on Saturday night with a cloud over his immediate playing future as he awaits more scan results.
The skipper had only recently returned from a bicep injury incurred against the Warriors and suffered a similar injury in the loss to Brisbane on Friday.
“Princey’s gone down this week,” said coach John Cartwright.
“They can be dangerous – bicep tears.
“There’s a definite tear there so he won’t play this week and probably the following week.
“We’ll get him off to the specialist and we’ll be a bit wiser after he sees him.”
Prince’s injury opens the door for former Raiders and Roosters utility Ash Graham to make his debut for the club at fullback with William Zillman moving to five-eighth and Aidan Sezer to halfback.
Graham has a great NRL strike rate, having scored 71 tries in 145 NRL games.
“He’s being doing well for the (Tweed) Seagulls and we’re fortunate to be able to bring a bloke in with his experience,” said Cartwright, who could have shifted Greg Bird from the back-row to five-eighth.
“He’s got over 100 first-grade games and scored many tries.”
Graham suffered an ankle injury which set him back soon after arriving at the Titans.
“I played a few games at the back for the Roosters last year when Minni (Anthony Minichiello) got hurt so it it’s not a new position for me,” said Graham.
Offsetting the loss of Prince is the return of from suspension of Queensland Origin lock Ashley Harrison who’ll be crucial to Cartwright’s plans to shut down Benji Marshall and Robbie Farah.
Further north the Cowboys also have injury issues with coach Neil Henry leaving prop Matt Scott (foot) out of his 18-man squad preparing to play the Dragons at Dairy Farmers Stadium.
But Scott, who is racing the clock to prove his fitness to play in the opening State of Origin game in Melbourne in three weeks, could be a late inclusion if he gets through training this week.
“Matt hasn’t run for four days so there’s no point in naming him if he’s in serious doubt to play,” said Henry.
“We haven’t seen him run laterally at all he’s got to get through two training sessions yet.
“Rather than name him and pull him out we might add him depending on how how he trains.”
