The Gold Coast Titans have been dealt a major blow a week out from their 2014 season opener against the Sharks with confirmation that centre Jamie Dowling has injured his anterior cruciate ligament.
Dowling went down in the opening minute of the Burleigh Bears' Round 1 Intrust Super Cup game at Burleigh on Sunday with scans today confirming an ACL injury that is likely to sideline him the season.
Dowling, 23, will visit a specialist in coming days but is unlikely to play any part in the Titans' 2014 campaign having been pushing throughout the off-season for one of the vacant centre spots.
“It’s a tragedy for Jamie,” said coach John Cartwright of Dowling, who played nine top grade games in 2013.
“He’s trained really well and would have played a role in the team at some stage of the season.
"It’s heartbreaking when it happens to any player at any stage but for him to suffer it in the first minute so early in the year is very tough for him.”
