Parramatta's Jarryd Hayne is facing at least a month on the sidelines after suffering a recurrence of a hip flexor injury in the Eels win over Manly on Sunday.
Hayne and the club had initially hoped for a quick recovery, however NRL.com understands that post-match scans after the match have confirmed the injury is to a different muscle of the same hip and is worse than first thought.
Hayne's return via the wing lasted only 30 minutes before he was grounded once more, having spent the past four weeks sidelined with a knock sustained against Cronulla in round three.
Both he and coach Brad Arthur insisted the 30-year-old was fit to return after the Eels breakthrough win.
"It felt all sweet during the week, we checked all the boxes in training," Hayne told NRL.com after the match.
"Then when I got put in an awkward position it was no good, it went again.
"I copped a knock and it was just a bit lower down, which was disappointing, but that's footy."
Hayne's scratching continues a wretched run of injuries for the Eels of late, with Bevan French (shoulder) and Kirisome Auva'a (ribs) both ruled out of their round seven win.
Both outside men will be racing the clock to be fit for Sunday's showdown with Wests Tigers, bringing veteran Josh Hoffman into contention for a first-grade recall.