Australia's rugby league World Cup campaign has been dealt a major blow, with a knee injury ruling star utility back Kurt Gidley out for the remainder of the tournament.
Gidley was injured in Sunday night's 30-6 win over New Zealand and scans today confirmed he had knocked a small piece of cartilage off the joint surface of the patella in his left knee.
He will return to Newcastle next week for surgery.
Gidley's injury left the 26-year-old devastated, and is a major setback for the Kangaroos, who also have star halfback Johnathan Thurston in doubt to play England at Telstra Dome on Sunday night.
"It's a bitterly disappointing way to end the season, especially off the back of our strong performance against the Kiwis (last) Sunday night," Gidley said.
"The squad has gelled really well and I'm just devastated I won't be able to take any further part in the tournament." Australia are unable to replace Gidley in their World Cup squad, with Gold Coast star Scott Prince likely to replace him on the bench for the clash with England.
Thurston starred against New Zealand despite the death of his uncle the day before, but injured his shoulder during the match.
Results of scans should be known tomorrow, but of concern is the fact he had both shoulders reconstructed at the end of the 2007 season.
If injuries were not of enough concern to Ricky Stuart, the Australian coach also had to warn fullback Billy Slater to avoid sliding feet-first into opponents, fearing his star could get suspended.
Slater's tactic of using his feet to try to prevent opposition players scoring prompted a warning from the tournament's match review committee that it was dangerous and would no longer be tolerated.
No-one from the Kangaroos camp would comment today, but a team spokesman said Stuart had addressed the issue with Slater since he slid into Kiwi Jerome Ropati on the weekend.
The Rugby League International Federation tonight released guidelines to referees to be on the look-out for players who used their feet, and warned that the practice was contrary to the spirit of the game.
It warned players who did so could be charged with contrary conduct if they used their feet to try to prevent opponents from scoring.
Slater did have something to celebrate today, as his fiancee last night gave birth to the couple's first child, a daughter named Tyla.
The ease of Australia's opening win has critics predicting a one-sided tournament, given that New Zealand are considered by many as the Kangaroos' major threat.
England are considered the only other side capable of pushing the host nation, but they also struggled on the weekend to beat Papua New Guinea 32-22 in Townsville.
Australian players today expected England to be better for their first hit-out, and lock Paul Gallen predicted a very physical clash after being impressed by the size of the England players when the two teams gathered at Government House.
"They're very willing and they're very big too," Gallen said.
"I went to a function yesterday with them and they were towering over me, which isn't that hard, but they're all big blokes and they met a pretty competitive team the other night."
About 28,000 tickets have been sold for Sunday's clash and Telstra Dome officials expect a crowd of more than 40,000.
