Kotoni Staggs' NSW Blues hopes were clouded as the Brisbane Broncos star suffered a knee issue during the side's 22-12 defeat to the Cronulla Sharks.
Staggs had entered the conversation to don the now-vacant NSW centre spot, as Joseph Suaalii serves a suspension.
The 25-year-old stunned in the opening half, making five tackle breaks and 96 run metres before he was taken off with injury late in the game.
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The former NSW star attempted a low tackle which saw his knee drive into the ground, leaving him in visible pain.
Trainers were quick to attend to Staggs, who was assisted off the field for treatment.
"He's hobbling and he's off to the wing," Dan Ginnane said in commentary on Fox League.
"He [looks] gone … He's had left knee problems in the past but it looks like the right one [is the issue]."
Despite the late injury scare, he returned to the field for the final five minutes of play.
The Broncos had copped another blow earlier in the half when Jordan Riki was taken from the field in a bloodied state. The second-rower was caught underneath a tackle and took a boot to the eye.
"That was brutal," Ginnane said.
Fox League's sideline reporter James Hooper said Riki was "getting stitched up" in the sheds.
The Sharks flipped the game with a rapid response helping the side to victory after trailing by eight into half-time.
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The Sharks opened the second half with three tries in the first 10 minutes.
Sione Katoa was the first to find the line with a deadly step tricking Selwyn Cobbo as the Sharks winger crossed over.
Braydon Trindall followed, catching Broncos forward Brendan Piakura off guard with a dummy pass and powering through to score.
The tear-up continued through a Blayke Brailey try.
Earlier, Billy Walters powered 40 metres down the middle to set up Broncos skipper Patty Carrigan, who put the first points on the board.
Siosifa Talakai could not be stopped on the left edge, barging over from a short distance to put Cronulla on the board.
"It's so hard to stop that close to the line," Michael Ennis said in commentary on Fox League.
"Siosifa Talakai, just power."
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