Canterbury's Kikau out for a month after finger surgery

The injury will rule Kikau out of matches against Newcastle, Parramatta and the Sydney Roosters, while he faces a race against time to be fit to face Cronulla and the Warriors.

Kikau has been among the Bulldogs' best this year, looming as a powerful threat on the left edge and sitting sixth in the NRL's Dally M race.

Canterbury are also set to be without Matt Burton on Thursday night against the Knights, with the five-eighth in NSW camp as 18th man for State of Origin I.