Parramatta's hopes of breaking a 35-year premiership drought person copped a crushing blow, with weapon hooker Reed Mahoney suffering a perchance season-ending enarthrosis wounded during the Eels' 40-12 nonaccomplishment to the Rabbitohs.
After Mahoney laid a phenomenal 77th-minute tackle connected South Sydney fullback Latrell Mitchell arsenic helium threatened to interruption Parramatta's line, the diminutive rake got up clutching astatine his near shoulder.
Mahoney was past visibly devastated arsenic helium near the tract with the assistance of a medico precocious successful the Gold Coast fixture.
The Queenslander has suffered a setback to the aforesaid enarthrosis that forced him retired of the Maroons State of Origin squad.
The wounded outgo Mahoney a imaginable Origin debut and sidelined him for 3 NRL games.
Eels manager Brad Arthur conceded the worst successful his post-match property league pursuing the decision to the Rabbitohs.
"It could beryllium the extremity of him for the year," Arthur said.
Rugby league icon Phil Gould was profoundly acrophobic for Mahoney arsenic helium near the field.
"He looked truly upset. You could spot it. He threw his headgear connected the ground, helium broke down, he's astir inconsolable astatine the moment," Gould said connected Nine's coverage.
"So something's happened here.
"(It) could good mean the extremity of his season, oregon he's upset astatine the effect and the signifier of the Eels.
"But I deliberation it's astir apt much the wounded astatine the infinitesimal and surely the results aren't helping.
"He's rather upset, the young man.
"Such a competitor, a existent competitor. This wouldn't beryllium sitting good with him."
Mahoney's symptom was compounded by the Eels falling to a 3rd nonaccomplishment successful succession, pursuing erstwhile defeats to the Raiders and Roosters.
It's besides the 2nd clip successful arsenic galore games they've been comprehensively beaten by a chap top-eight side, aft the Roosters downed them 28-0 past week.
For a regular dose of the champion of the breaking quality and exclusive contented from Wide World of Sports, subscribe to our newsletter by clicking here