Souths are set to be without one of the most important players after it was revealed that Kangaroos World Cup winner Campbell Graham is to undergo surgery on a long-standing sternum problem.

The centre played with the injury for most of last season and was expected to recover in time for 2024, but despite training throughout the pre-season, the club has opted to put him under the knife to fix the issue more permanently.

In a sign of how much the Bunnies thought that Graham would be able to start this year, he was their representative on the promotional tour of Las Vegas, where they will face Manly in Round 1. Now, he will not take part at all.

“Rabbitohs centre Campbell Graham will undergo surgery next week to repair damage to his sternum which see him sidelined for up to six months,” read a statement from the club.

“Graham played through the injury throughout the 2023 season and has trained throughout the pre-season, however a decision has been made to undergo surgery on the affected area.

“Graham is expected to be back on the field for South Sydney at the back-end of the regular season.”

The player was at the centre of the best things that Souths did in 2023, opening up a right-side attack along with Keaon Koloamatangi, and will be a big miss for the start of 2024.

His absence opens a pathway for Isaiah Tass to continue in the centre – albeit on the other side – after the arrival of Jack Wighton, who is expected to begin the year on the left edge, Tass’ old role.

Tass may have otherwise played on the wing, meaning that someone else will get a chance there – likely gun youngster Tyrone Munro, who occasionally filled in last year.

Graham’s sternum had been causing him problems going back as far as Origin in 2023.

The centre was called up to the NSW camp as 18th man, having previously impressed for Australia in the World Cup in 2022, but was released back to his club after it was revealed that he couldn’t train due to the injury that has now forced him out.