Former Cronulla hooker Michael Ennis believes an altered training program is the reason behind the Sharks' horrid run of hamstring injuries as prop Andrew Fifita went down on Thursday night.
Cronulla's casualty ward is now bursting at the seams after Fifita picked up a right hamstring problem and Matt Prior sustained a left shoulder issue against Gold Coast on Thursday night.
Fifita, 29, lasted only six minutes of the first Magic Round clash, falling to the turf after offloading the ball in a three-man tackle before quickly hobbling from the field.
Braden Hamlin-Uele entered the fray in his place.
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Fifita is the third key Sharks player to cop a hamstring injury following high-grade strains to representative men Matt Moylan and Shaun Johnson.
The spate of soft tissue injuries is a major concern for Cronulla, with Josh Dugan straining his hamstring in the warm-up against Brisbane a fortnight ago.
"You'd have to imagine that they've changed something with their training loads," said former Sharks hooker Michael Ennis on Fox League.
"That's the only thing that you can think of when you get soft tissue injuries – something has to have changed or it's awful bad luck."
Adding to the pain, international front-rower Aaron Woods is recovering from a fractured foot while co-captain Wade Graham's long-awaited return from a torn ACL is still some weeks away.
Fifita suffered a hamstring twinge to the same leg earlier in the year, limping off the park in round four, but did not miss any matches.
The former NSW Origin enforcer has also battled a left knee issue carrying over from season and wore heavy strapping on the area as usual versus the Titans.
Confirmation of a hamstring injury for Andrew Fifita, won’t return tonight. Appeared to be right hamstring strain, same hamstring he injured last month. Recurrence often longer recovery, general guide (would hope Grade 1-2):
— NRL PHYSIO (@nrlphysio) 9 May 2019
Grade 1: 2-4wks
Grade 2: 4-6wks#NRLTitansSharks
Fifita underwent testing on his hamstring after heading up the tunnel and it was later confirmed he would not be able to return to the action.
"Andrew Fifita ... He is gone," said Fox League reporter Andy Raymond after speaking to Sharks staff.
The worst-case scenario could see Fifita forced to spectate for up to six weeks – the same time that Moylan has spent in rehab to date.
Cronulla's other starting prop Prior went off in the 19th minute and did not come back for a second stint.