Newcastle Knights hooker Danny Buderus will be out for between six and eight weeks after undergoing disc surgery.
According to a statement released by the Knights, Buderus had been suffering from a disc problem over an unspecified period of time, with an operation required to solve the issue.
"Danny has had a great pre-season so it is obviously disappointing for him to have surgery now," Knights' Performance Director Jeremy Hickmans said.
"With the surgery done, he will rest for the next four weeks and then be in rehab for about four weeks.
"While it means we will be without Danny for the early rounds, we all look forward to getting him back fresh to take on the rest of the season."