OLD Bar's Holli Wheeler will undergo knee surgery next week but still hopes to be right for the start of the NRL Women's Rugby League competition this year.
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A NSW and Australian representative backrower, Wheeler dislocated her kneecap playing for Canterbury in the Harvey Norman NSW Women's Premiership semi-final against Illawarra last weekend. Canterbury play Mounties in the grand final on Saturday at Leichhardt Oval.
She is unlikely to be involved in the two-game State of Origin series against Queensland, with the matches to be played on June 1 and June 22.
Scans indicated Wheeler has damaged her MCL and she hopes to make a full recovery in 8 to 10 weeks. Wheeler is one of the key signings for NRLW newcomers Cronulla this year. She previously played with St George-Illawarra in the NRLW and has twice won the club's player of the year award. She had been with the club since the debut year of the NRLW in 2018.
Wheeler missed selection in last year's State of Origin series but was included in the Australian team for the end-of-year World Cup.
She played league tag with the Old Bar Pirates in Group Three and was also an Australian Country hockey representative before taking up rugby league as a 27-year-old, initially playing with Newcastle in the State Premiership.