ST George Illawarra Dragons forward Korbin Sims has undergone surgery on injured forearm, which means he is unlikely to play until at least round five.
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Gerringong-product Sims hurt his arm in the Perth Nines tournament, the same one he hurt last year.
And while initial scans showed he had avoided a bone fracture, ongoing soreness resulted in surgery on Wednesday.
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With the Jack de Belin 'no-fault stand-down' decision while his rape trial is ongoing, it means the returning Trent Merrin, from Shellharbour, is likely to have added responsibility in the forward pack, as the Dragons try and bounce back from last year's disaster.
The Sims setback comes as inspirational captain Cameron McInnes will miss the early part of the season after suffering a left knee injury in the Nines.
Matt Dufty (cheekbone) and Kosh Kerr (knee) are others in the Dragons casualty ward.
St George Illawarra tackle Wests Tigers on Sunday at WIN Stadium, with kick-off at 6.15pm.
