The Dolphins have suffered a massive blow just over a month out from the finals, which could have huge ramifications for the rest of their season.
Herbie Farnworth has been struck down by a hamstring injury during the opening exchanges of his side’s clash against New Zealand.
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Dolphins' season plunged into ‘real jeopardy' after Herbie Farnworth injury
The barnstorming English international started the Phins’ clash against the Warriors in typically red-hot touch.
He forced his way over from close range for the first four-pointer of the night before he almost broke through the host’s porous defence again moments later.
However, as he made his third linebreak of the match, disaster struck.
Farnworth broke into the backfield with Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow looming up on his shoulder in support. Another try for Kristian Woolf’s men appeared all but certain.
"Farnworth is unstoppable," Warren Smith exclaimed in commentary on Fox League.
Yet the 25-year-old pulled up lame mid-sprint and clutched at his leg just as fullback Taine Tuaupiki arrived to attempt to shut him down.
"Oh, he’s torn a hamstring!" Smith added. "Can you believe that!
"This is potentially devastating for not just this game but for the Dolphins’ season."
Farnworth lay stricken on the turf in Auckland before he was attended to by the medical staff. And he was then helped from the field by the trainers as he clutched onto the back of his left leg.
"This close to the finals, this is a huge blow for them," Mick Ennis said.
"It’s been the story of their season, hasn’t it? They lose one, they get one back. They lose two and they get one back.
"But Herbie is a massive one. It puts their season in real jeopardy."
Kristian Woolf provides latest injury update on Herbie Farnworth
Post-match, Woolf expressed his pride at how his team had handled the loss of Farnworth after the Phins stole a late 20-18 win thanks to a Jamayne Isaako try in the last play of the game.
"I'm really proud of our blokes because we've sort of gone through that all year with the disruption," Woolf said.
"To lose Herbie like we did, you could see he was ready to go as he started the game extremely well. So, it was a big hit for us and to handle the second half like we did, I thought we were so brave.
"We had blokes out of position and we had blokes playing bigger minutes than they usually do, so to hang in the way we did and come away with a win like we did at the end, I was really proud of the group."
The coach provided a brief update on Farnworth, highlighting how he thought his centre would be out for an extended period of time.
"It's obviously a hamstring," Woolf said. "How bad it is, we don't quite know yet but it's not a little strain.
"I would have thought it's going to be at least four to six weeks, or something like that."
Meanwhile, Isaiya Katoa also commended the side for remaining in the fight before stealing it late while being without the English star.
"I guess it is a bit of an image of what our team and club is building," Katoa said.
"It's about never dying and having an attitude of going after games and just never giving up. We keep turning up for each other, so I'm extremely proud of the boys."