Jayson Bukuya was a dejected figure on the Sharks bench following the match on Saturday night, with the result of the game not the only reason.
Bukuya sat with his ankle in a bucket of ice obviously knowing the injury he had suffered was a potentially serious one, even before a doctor assessment and scans could deliver a more accurate verdict.
Eventually it was revealed to be a grade two syndesmosis, with Bukuya set to be sidelined for up to seven weeks, however with the representative weekend and a round 13 bye, Bukuya may miss just five matches.
His loss is a blow to the Sharks, with the Fijian international an integral member of the team which won the Grand Final last year and has started 2017 with five wins from their eight matches so far.
In other injury news James Segeyaro is on the road to recovery following surgery for a broken arm, suffered in the Sharks win over the Storm back in round six.
Similar to Bukuya, Segeyaro is targeting a return sometime soon after the Sharks bye round should his recovery progress according to plan.
Otherwise that leaves just Malkai Houma on the injured list, the big front rower breaking a leg while playing for Newtown in the Intrust Super Premiership.
A return date for Houma has yet to be confirmed.
As for the other players to have recently missed matches, Luke Lewis and Gerard Beale have been named and are expected to take their places in the Sharks team to play the Tigers this weekend, while Daniel Mortimer made a successful comeback from a knee injury in the Intrust Super Premiership for the Newtown Jets in a loss to Wyong last Saturday.
Both Lewis and Beale have been sidelined with minor hamstring issues, Lewis for just one game, Beale for the past two matches after coming from the field late in the win over the Melbourne Storm.
Mortimer has been named at five eighth for the Newtown side for their game against Wentworthville on Sunday.
