Valentine Holmes sidelined for a month with shoulder injury

The Cowboys’ finals hopes took a major blow, as one of their star players faces a month out due to an injury sustained in game three of Origin.

The North Queensland Cowboys will face an uphill battle to make the top eight this season, as superstar fullback Valentine Holmes faces a month on the sidelines with a shoulder injury.

The injury occurred towards the end of the first half, when NSW’s Mitch Moses and Cameron Murray tackled Holmes and drove his shoulder into the ground.

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He was unable to return to the field in the second half, as the Titans’ AJ Brimson came on to replace him.

The Maroons eventually went on to win the game 20-18 and quash the Blues’ hopes for a clean sweep.

Holmes went off injured during game three.

The injury has officially been declared as a grade three AC joint injury by the Cowboys and will not require surgery.

Holmes has missed just one minute of action for Todd Payten’s side season, but disappointingly only has three tries to his name.

The 25-year-old’s absence will be sorely felt by the Cowboys, as he is the side’s maestro with the kicking tee.

What is perhaps more concerning is that the Cowboys are firmly planted in the middle of a chasing pack on the NRL ladder for seventh and eighth — the last two spots that qualify for the finals.

Holmes put in a strong shift in game three before going off injured.

The Dragons and Sharks occupy seventh and eighth respectively, but with the Dragons mired in a major scandal that saw a ton of stars handed one-game suspensions and let go of Paul Vaughan, the teams beneath them can smell blood in the water and overtake them.

Only four points separate the Dragons from the 13th-placed Raiders, with the Cowboys sandwiched in-between both sides in 10th.

Should Holmes’ recovery period go to plan, he’d make his return in round 22 against the Wests Tigers.

But that only gives the fullback just four games to drag his side into the postseason, should the Cowboys struggle in his absence.

The attacking burden will likely fall on wingers Murray Taulagi and Kyle Feldt, who have 17 tries between them.

Originally published as Valentine Holmes sidelined for a month with shoulder injury