Salford's Australian front row forward Ray Cashmere has been sidelined "indefinitely" after scans on a rib injury picked up in the English Super League last month revealed serious and rare damage.

Initial x-rays had suggested no major injury but, with no apparent improvement, the Reds medical team ordered further scans which have now revealed that the former North Queensland Cowboy suffered a fractured dislocation of his eighth and ninth ribs.

"Ray is in a lot of discomfort," said Salford coach and fellow Australian Shaun McRae.

"I must stress it isn't career-threatening but the next stage is that Ray will see a specialist on Wednesday.

"Because of the rarity of the case we have no prognosis on his recovery so we are in the hands of the medical world to give us some further information and recovery timeline."

The 30-year-old Cashmere, now in his second season with the Reds after joining them from the Cowboys, was out for a month earlier this year with a calf injury.

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