Still a chance: Panthers confirm Luai's recovery timeline after shoulder injury

The Penrith Panthers have been dealt a double blow in their quest for a premiership three-peat, with their biggest loss of the season to local rivals Parramatta compounded by the loss of five-eighth Jarome Luai to a first-half shoulder dislocation.

The Panthers were ambushed and out-enthused by the Eels, who now need a few equations to go their way to make the finals, with Maika Sivo grabbing four tries.

But while the Panthers had handed the advantage in the minor premiership race to Brisbane, Luai was their paramount concern in the immediate aftermath of the clash.

Thankfully, it's not as bad as it could have been, with the club confirming that Luai has a recovery timeline of around four weeks, so long as everything goes to plan. That means he could be fit in time for a preliminary final, provided the Panthers can make it that far.

"The representative playmaker has avoided immediate surgery however there is significant damage to the shoulder," the club said in a release on Friday.

"Luai will immediately begin rehabilitation on the injured shoulder in a bid to return during the NRL Finals Series."

Initial projections from Twitter's respected NRLPhysio indicated a worst-case scenario could have required immediate reconstructive surgery, bringing Luai's season to a premature end.

The Panthers will host the Cowboys next Saturday, and will also be hoping that the Raiders or Storm can beat the Broncos and hand the ascendancy back to the Panthers in the race for the minor premiership.