NZ Warriors signing Shaun Johnson's NRL tenure with Cronulla Sharks may be over early, with injury set to sideline him for up to eight weeks.
Johnson - who will return to the Warriors in 2022 on a two-year deal - has been diagnosed with a high-grade hamstring injury.
Although he's avoided surgery, his recovery timeframe has been set at four to eight weeks, with just six weeks of regular season play remaining and the Sharks locked in a tight race for one of the last available finals spots.
The 30-year-old was forced from the field during Sunday's win over Canterbury Bulldogs, pulling up and clutching his leg, after putting teammate Briton Nikora through a hole in the Bulldogs' defensive line.
Johnson has plagued by injury in recent years, with his 2020 season ended prematurely by an Achilles tear.
The injury adds further strain on the Sharks' player depth, with captain Wade Graham and half Matt Moylan already absent due to injury.
Johnson made 162 appearances for the Warriors over eight seasons, before linking up with Cronulla in 2019, where he has played 44 games.
