Gold Coast Titans' under-fire forward Bryce Cartwright's season has been dealt another blow with the recruit from Penrith likely to spend three to four weeks on the sidelines after breaking his hand in a defensive drill on Thursday.
Cartwright was doing tackle-technique drills with teammates in the gymnasium before they moved on to a field session when he hit the hand hard on an opponent and immediately knew he was in trouble.
He was immediately sent for x-rays on site at the Titans' Parkwood training and administration facility which confirmed the break.
He will have a played inserted and will be out for a minimum three weeks.
Cartwright had been selected in the Tweed Heads Seagulls side for a second successive time after playing 12 NRL games this season.
He had support from teammate Nathan Peats who fronted the media within an hour of the incident.
"It is disappointing for him and he is trying to get his way back into the squad but hopefully he's only out for a few weeks and will force his way back into the squad," said teammate Nathan Peats.
"I like Carty as a player and a person too and he's copped a lot of criticism this year and he's been below par on his own standards I guess.
"But I've played against him for a couple of years now and I know what a special player he can be.
"I was just talking to him inside there and it can happen to the best of us."
