Murray Taulagi, the North Queensland representative winger, has suffered another concussion and is now out indefinitely.
This marks his third known concussion during the 2026 NRL season. The Cowboys announced that Taulagi sustained the injury at training last week, with no timeline for his return.
At 27, Taulagi is in his eighth and final season with the Cowboys before moving to a lucrative contract in French rugby, raising concerns that he may have played his last match for the club since joining in 2019.
Earlier this year, he experienced two concussions within three weeks-one in Round 7 and another before Round 9-and the Cowboys' medical team opted for a cautious approach instead of the usual 11-day stand-down period.
With less than three weeks to go before the Cowboys' first game in the NRL finals, contingent on their standing against the Bulldogs for a top-eight finish, his availability for 2026 remains uncertain.
North Queensland coach Todd Payten shared a brief update from Townsville regarding Taulagi's situation.
"Muz will go and see the independent doctor to work out what this next period looks like for him, but unfortunately it's his third (concussion) for the season," he stated.
"He'll sit out this week and we'll know more by Friday."