Melbourne Storm's Tui Kamikamica has been admitted to the hospital as he undergoes assessment for a suspected stroke.
After contributing 25 minutes during the Storm's narrow 28-24 defeat to the Cowboys on Saturday, he experienced what the club characterized as a "medical episode" this morning.
The club issued a statement, saying, "Tui is receiving the best possible care and is being supported by hospital specialists, alongside the club's medical staff."
They further added, "The club asks that Tui's privacy is respected at this time. Further updates will be provided when appropriate."
As the captain of Fiji's national team, Kamikamica has been a reliable player for Storm coach Craig Bellamy, playing a key role in last season's grand final as well.
Since making his NRL debut in 2017, the 31-year-old has played 142 games for the Storm, consistently featuring in over 20 matches each season for the last three years.
Though the exact duration of Kamikamica's recovery remains uncertain, his absence poses another challenge to an already strained Storm forward lineup.
The Storm are also missing forward Eli Katoa this season due to surgery for bleeding on the brain, a result of head injuries while representing Tonga last November.
Currently seventh in the standings with a 2-2 record through four rounds, the Storm will face the undefeated Panthers in Sydney this Friday night in Round 5 of the NRL season.