Titans and Kangaroos forward Nate Myles will miss the remainder of the club's 2014 season as well as the end-of-year Four Nations tournament after electing to have shoulder surgery.
Myles has been battling a hand injury since the Origin Series and has also been troubled by a bicep injury in recent weeks which is also likely to require surgery. He will see a surgeon next week but is facing a minimum three-month recovery.
It is a further blow for the club, who are already missing Maroons forward Dave Taylor (neck), possibly for the remainder of the year, as well as former Sharks prop Luke Douglas, whose unbroken 215-game run has been halted by the recent ASADA bans. Former Sharks laymaker Albert Kelly, on his way back from a knee injury via the Intrust Super Cup, will also miss the rest of 2014 as a result of the ASADA bans.
The club had also already lost forwards Ashley Harrison (neck, retired), Ben Ridge (shoulder, season), Ryan James (shoulder, season) and Matt Srama (hip, seasoon).
The club said its current forward stocks are "lower than probably any time in the Titans’ history".
With Myles and Douglas in the originally-named starting forward pack for Sunday's match against the Dragons, the side said it would likely promote Matt White and Paul Carter off the bench to start, and bring Tom Kingston and Maurice Blair into the 17.
"Nate has been battling on under duress for several weeks, it got to the point where he’s going to do further damage, so we thought it best to rest him," Titans coach Neil Henry said.
"We’re going to get him operated on and get his shoulder fixed so he can get on with it and get a full pre-season under his belt.
"It is a bit of an injury crisis but Maurice Blair comes in and gives us some utility value, he has played left centre, in the halves and back row. We still have a team that is ready to go and determined to win our remaining three games and we are playing for a lot of pride."
The club said it was a "sad way for [Douglas] to end his game-wide record of 215 consecutive first grade matches".
It was also a tough blow for Albert Kelly after he had fought his way back from injury last weekend and was due to play for Tweed Seagulls this weekend to enhance his claims for a return to the NRL side, the club said.
"It is shattering for Luke and Albert, and particularly 'Dougie' in that it is such a sad way for him to end the record run of consecutive matches," Henry said.
"His integrity remains without question though and he has the full support of the club and his teammates, as has Albert."
Likely Titans side: William Zillman, Kalifa Faifai Loa, James Roberts, Brad Takairangi, Anthony Don, Aidan Sezer, Daniel Mortimer, Luke Bailey, Beau Falloon, Matthew White, Mark Minichiello, Greg Bird (capt), Paul Carter. Interchange: Mark Ioane, Cody Nelson, Tom Kingston, Maurice Blair.
