Jesse Ramien's hopes of leaving Cronulla as a premiership winner are over following season-ending pectoral surgery.
The 29-year-old centre went down in Sunday's upset loss to St George Illawarra and had scans on Monday before going under the knife.
It means Ramien will not play again before joining North Queensland in 2027, with Mawene Hiroti to take his place at centre against Canberra this weekend.
Ramien's decision to go under the knife comes the same week Penrith co-captain Isaah Yeo delayed surgery on his own pectoral injury in a bid to return for finals.
The Sharks at least regain KL Iro (concussion) and Siosifa Talakai (biceps) against the 12th-placed Raiders, who are no longer in finals contention.
Ramien is the fourth-placed Sharks' only regular first-grader sidelined by injury as the club eyes a second premiership.
Prior to last week's 24-16 loss to the Dragons, the Sharks had won nine from 10 games and looked poised to enter finals as one of the league's form teams.
Ramien made his NRL debut with the Sharks in 2017 and played 167 games for the club across two stints, with a year at Newcastle in between.
He enjoyed a solid season at right centre this year and joins Sharks teammate Sione Katoa in making the move to the Cowboys next season.
Australian Associated Press
