Newcastle's injury crisis has gone from bad to worse with star centre Bradman Best sidelined indefinitely with an ankle injury that may require surgery.
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The Knights are seeking a range of medical opinions before making a decision on the best treatment for the teenage centre, who picked up the syndesmosis injury in his side's 26-16 loss to Melbourne Storm on Sunday.
It's understood surgery would be a last resort option but depending on the medical advice, may be unavoidable although the club is hoping to be able to rehab the injury to get him back on the paddock sooner.
Best picked up the injury during the second half against the Storm but got his ankle strapped and showed plenty of courage to limp through the remainder of the game.
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It's another huge blow for the Knights, who already had eight players on the injured list including four - Jayden Brailey, Andrew McCullough, Connor Watson and Tim Glasby - who won't play again this season.
Winger Edrick Lee, who hasn't played since the Parramatta game in round 9, is another long-term casualty and may not be back until the finals if the club qualifies.
It is 18-year-old Best's second significant injury this season.
He missed the start of the season after fracturing a bone in his foot that required surgery to have it removed. He would have missed the opening 10 rounds but ended up only missing two because of the COVID-19 shutdown.
As expected, coach Adam O'Brien has dumped Tautau Moga from the side to meet Wests Tigers on Saturday with Gehamat Shibasaki and Enari Tuala the two new centres.
Youngster Starford To'a will make his first appearance of the season on the wing.
O'Brien has also named newly signed Blake Green at five-eighth with Kurt Mann moving to hooker in place of Chris Randall.
Youngster Phoenix Crossland retains his place on the bench with Brodie Jones returning from injury to replace the suspended Pasami Saulo.
