The fallout from the Titans' heart-breaking loss to the Broncos on Friday night continues with confirmation that rookie prop Max King will be sidelined for more than a month with a broken hand.
King lasted just two minutes in his first stint in the first half before being forced from the field for a head injury assessment and then suffered the break to his right hand when he made his return in the second half of the 24-22 loss, their sixth of the season.
King was one of three casualties to come from the game for a Titans squad already decimated by injuries through the opening seven rounds of the season and went in for surgery on Sunday afternoon to have a plate inserted.
Centre Dale Copley could barely walk when he left the field with 21 minutes left to play with a back injury while back-rower Chris Grevsmuhl was forced off 10 minutes into the second half with a groin injury he expects will keep him out for up to three weeks.
Although coach Neil Henry is hopeful co-captain Kevin Proctor (hamstring) and centre Konrad Hurrell (ankle) will be fit to face the Sharks at Southern Cross Group Stadium next Saturday a Titans team with just one win this season faces yet another disrupted week on the training paddock.
Thrust into the NRL team at just 19 years of age, King was playing in his fifth game of the season on Friday night and had proven to be a willing and effective worker off the bench.
Averaging 62 metres and 16 tackles in a tick under 30 minutes per game, King helped to take some of the pressure off starting front-rowers Ryan James and Jarrod Wallace who will be required to take on an even greater load against the defending premiers this week.
Paterika Vaivai has brought tremendous energy in his two starts for the Titans the past fortnight with Eddy Pettybourne likely to come into contention also providing he gets through his comeback match with Tweed Heads in the Intrust Super Cup unscathed.
Agnatius Paasi is the other middle forward the Titans are missing at present due to a shoulder injury and, like fullback Jarryd Hayne, Paasi is not expected back for another two weeks.
