Bradford Bulls will be without Adam Sidlow for the remainder of the 2013 Super League season after he ruptured the medial collateral ligament in his knee.
The former Salford City Reds prop sustained the injury in last Friday's heart-breaking 26-20 defeat to league leaders Wigan Warriors at the DW Stadium.
Sidlow has been ruled out of action for three months and head coach Francis Cummins believes losing his services is a massive blow to the team's hopes of a top-eight finish.
"Adam's going to be out for 12 weeks after rupturing his MCL," Cummins told the Bulls' official website. "Any loss to a squad of our size is going to have a massive impact.
"It's a tough blow for us and Adam (Sidlow), who has been in tremendous form since joining us this year.
"You have to remember that he joined us late in the close-season and didn't have much of a pre-season with us, but he's grown in confidence and is growing with our systems at the club.
"There is no doubt that he'll be a big loss to us for the final few months of the season."