Cronulla’s premiership hopes have copped another blow with Wade Graham suffering a season-ending knee injury.
The Sharks back-rower fell awkwardly after being bumped in the 12th minute of Cronulla’s 21-12 loss to the Sydney Roosters in their qualifying final on Saturday night.
Graham went into the game with a heavily-strapped right knee, the same knee he suffered a medial ligament strain in earlier this season.
Graham was sent for scans on Saturday night, with the representative star to miss not only next weekend’s elimination semi-final against Penrith but the rest of the campaign with a torn anterior cruciate ligament.
Cronulla are likely to turn to Scott Sorensen and Kurt Capewell in Graham’s absence.
Meanwhile, Roosters centre Latrell Mitchell could miss his side’s preliminary final after being hit a dangerous contact head/neck charge against Cronulla.
Mitchell appeared to commit a ‘crusher’ tackle of Sharks centre Josh Dugan two minutes after half-time.
While the charge only carries 90 points with an early guilty plea, Mitchell has 75 carry over points which would see him suspended for one match.
