Brownlow Medallist set for stint on sidelines after Origin injury

Brownlow Medallist Matt Rowell is set to miss Gold Coast's opening fixtures after suffering a broken finger during the State of Origin contest.

Rowell sat out the back-end of the final term as Victoria ran out winners over WA in Perth, with reports of a sore finger confirmed after scans in Queensland on Monday.

The superstar midfielder will undergo surgery on his left hand later this week, ruling him out of Opening Round against Geelong, and potentially weeks beyond.

“Scans have shown a fracture in a finger on Matt’s left hand. After consulting with specialists this morning, the decision was made for Matt to undergo surgery this week,” GC SUNS Head Physiotherapist Andrew Weller said.

“A timeframe around his return to play will be determined following the operation.”

He joins Jacob Weitering (fractured rib) and Sam Taylor (high-grade hamstring) as players suffering long-term concerns during the AFL's State of Origin return.