J’maine Hopgood has more than likely made his final appearance of the season after undergoing surgery on a lower back injury.

The Parramatta and Queensland forward hasn’t played since backing up for his club in Round 14 just five days after making his State of Origin debut for the Maroons in the opening game of the series.

Hopgood met with specialists to determine the best course of action for the injury, with the lock now set to undergo a microdiscectomy.

Hopgood has been a rare bright spark for the Eels this year with the forward consistently one of the club’s best performers despite their horror campaign.

Brad Arthur was axed just a few months into the season, before the club launched a failed pursuit of Wayne Bennett.

Parramatta currently sit in last place on the ladder after winning just four of their 14 matches to date and now things look like they could get worse as they will be forced to do without Hopgood.

“He will be unavailable for 12 weeks as he recovers from the surgery,” the club noted.

This timeframe will rule him out for the rest of the regular season and would mean the only chance he has of playing again this year would be if the Eels can make the finals.

They are situated three wins outside the top-eight as things stand with the likes of the Rabbitohs, Sea Eagles and Dragons all better placed than them in the bottom half of the ladder.