MAITLAND halfback Brock Lamb is set for a stint on the sidelines after suffering a shoulder injury in the Pickers' 18-8 win over The Entrance on Tuesday night.
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Lamb walked off the field clutching his left shoulder midway through the first half at EDSACC Oval a couple of plays after making a tackle.
The former NRL playmaker had helped Maitland to a 14-0 lead before the injury and did not return afterwards.
"An AC joint in his shoulder ... has given him some discomfort," Pickers coach Matt Lantry said.
"Brock definitely won't play this weekend, and going into the bye, whether he is ready for Cessnock [on June 22], it's just a matter of time.
"We think he'd be looking at a two-to-three week layoff."
Lamb's issue came as Pickers regulars Mitch Cullen and Reid Alchin returned from injuries.
James Bradley, Lincoln Smith and Pete Wilson all remain sidelined.
In a catch-up game washed-out last weekend, winger Luke Knight scored twice early and after losing Lamb, Maitland largely defended their way to a third consecutive victory.
The Entrance will be ruing ill-discipline after the Pickers kicked three penalty goals.
Allan Mcgrath and Harrison Mulligan scored after the break for the home side but it was to little avail.
"[To] lose 'Lamby' ... I had to throw Connor O'Beirne in the deep end who has only had a week with us, and he did OK," Lantry said.
"But ... we didn't need to score again, we just needed to defend well and that's what I'm most proud of."
The win moved Maitland a point behind front-runners Cessnock and Souths, and leaves them third ahead of a clash with last-placed Northern at home on Saturday.
The Entrance remain fifth, equal on points with sixth-placed Central, before Saturday's trip to Belmont to face Lakes.
