Third generation Cronulla-Sutherland Shark Kade Dykes will miss the 2023 season after suffering an ACL rupture during a field session this week.
The club confirmed the news on Wednesday while the squad continued their pre-season preparations at a camp in Wollongong.
It comes as a major setback for the 21-year-old local junior who had a breakout year in 2022, starring for the Newtown Jets – Minor Premiers in The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup – and making his NRL debut with the Sharks in Round 21 against St George Illawarra.
While Dykes is a fullback by trade, the youngster found plenty of success for Newtown in the No.6 jersey, which saw him named at five-eighth in the NSW Cup Team of the Year.
With Will Kennedy set to remain at fullback for Craig Fitzgibbon’s NRL side in the upcoming season, the Dykes injury could put the Sharks’ depth to the test after fellow fullback Lachlan Miller was officially released to the Newcastle Knights this week.
The NSW Cup season kicks off for the Jets on Saturday 4 March at 3pm, while the Sharks begin their NRL campaign later that night (7:35pm) against the South Sydney Rabbitohs at PointsBet Stadium.
