BREAKING NEWS: The announcement of Cody Walker dealt a severe new blow to the South’s waning prospects of playing in the finals.

The poor South Sydney side’s situation has gotten worse.

With key playmaker Cody Walker pulled out of Saturday night’s crucial matchaway against Cronulla due to a calf injury, South Sydney’s already narrow hopes of making the NRL finals have taken a devastating new blow. Walker was selected to start in the first half of the Souths’ match against the Sharks by interim coach Ben Hornby, but the veteran was “not right” and will not participate in the game, Hornby disclosed at training on Friday.

The Rabbitohs halfback hurt his calf during the team’s loss to Canberra last week. He attempted to test it out at Souths training on Friday, but he eventually gave in to the pain. Walker will be replaced in the Rabbitohs lineup by Dion Teaupa, who has only been in three NRL games for the Souths this season.