Wests Tigers player Taylan May is confronted with the possibility of season-ending surgery after suffering a suspected dislocated shoulder during his team's defeat to the Newcastle Knights on Sunday.
This marks yet another setback for May, who has already faced two separate absences due to the same injury in his right shoulder, but had previously avoided surgery in hopes of helping the Tigers reach their first finals series since 2011.
In the match against the Knights, the 24-year-old was sidelined just a quarter of the way through as medical staff rushed to address his concerns.
"They are calling for some strapping on his shoulder ... he might have popped that out," remarked Phil Gould during the Nine commentary.
Soon after, Marlee Silva confirmed that the issue was indeed the same shoulder problem May has been battling, leading Andrew Johns to declare his season effectively over.
"The way he is holding it and with his previous injuries that looks like it will be a reconstruction. His season will be over," Johns stated.
Following May's exit, Heamasi Makasini took over on the left edge midway through the first half.
May initially subluxed his shoulder in Round 2, with a further setback occurring during a Magic Round match against Manly in Round 11. Although he returned after avoiding surgery, his situation took a downturn in the Hunter, likely ending his season.
Given the increasing risk of complications with each dislocation, both May and the Tigers may need to make the difficult decision to proceed with surgery to prevent further injuries.