Penrith captain Petero Civoniceva's NRL season is over and he is also out of Australia's end-of-year tour.

The Queensland Australian prop will undergo surgery to repair the tendon in his big toe this month which he ripped from the bone in Origin II.

Civoniceva had hoped the injury would have mended in time for him to make a comeback for the finals.

But his specialist, who returns from overseas next week, believes surgery is the only solution to Civoniceva's foot injury.

It's a tough blow for the lion-hearted Civoniceva who was keen to play in the inaugural Quad Series against New Zealand, Great Britain and France after being part of the Kangaroos side which lost last year's World Cup to the Kiwis.

"I'll be fine to start next season if I have the surgery now," Civoniceva told AAP on Thursday.

"We were hoping a rest of six or seven weeks would help it mend but the doctor feels surgery is the only solution."

Civoniceva has played 31 times for Australia.

John Raper's forward's record of 39 Tests will likely elude him given the Kangaroos only play a handful of internationals each year.

"I'd set myself a goal at the start of the year to go away on tour again but now I'll just have to look ahead to next year," he said.

The former Brisbane prop had played a major part in improving Penrith's fortunes this year after meeting with senior players to discuss the way forward pre-season.

He was supportive of coach Matthew Elliott who was under pressure to hold his job after Penrith had struggled in 2008.

After winning four games in a row the Panthers have slipped since the State of Origin series and sit on the edge of the top eight on 20 points equal with ninth placed Manly.

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