Scans have confirmed Dragons hooker Dean Young suffered a broken arm in Saturday's loss to Brisbane.
It added injury to the insult of being the first minor premiers to be knocked out of the play-offs without a finals win under the McIntyre System.
Young came off during the second half, throwing his mouthguard in frustration at the pain in his left arm.
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Wearing a sling as he watched the closing stages of the game, Young was later taken to Royal Brisbane Hospital, where it was confirmed his arm was broken.
After another horror night, veteran winger Wendell Sailor revealed he would consider retirement before committing to another season.
And centre Beau Scott is likely to come under scrutiny for a dangerous throw on Brisbane prop Tonie Carroll.
Scott was earlier banned for one week for a dangerous throw against Penrith.
Five-eighth Jamie Soward, playing in his first finals series, said he would learn from the experience.
"Finals is another step up, I knew it would be," he said.
"I thought I prepared really well. I'm not totally disappointed with the way I played," the pivot said.
"With another pre-season of hard work we'll come back bigger and better."
Soward, who responded to criticism about his defence at the start of the season by playing a major role in the Dragons' charge to the minor premiership, said he had come a long way this season under coach Wayne Bennett.
"I've probably grown a little bit," Soward said. "I owe a lot to the team and to Wayne."
Soward was powerless to turn the tide on Saturday night, as the Broncos turned a 12-6 half-time lead into a 24-10 win with a brilliant performance.
AFL-bound Brisbane fullback Karmichael Hunt scored a first-half double, with skilful prop Dave Taylor having a major role in both tries.
The Dragons struck back when winger Brett Morris scored the first of his two tries in the 22nd minute.
But young Brisbane winger Jharal Yow Yeh broke the game open in the 48th minute when he soared high to take a Peter Wallace kick and score.
Former Dragons lock Lagi Setu dived on a grubber kick in the in-goal four minutes later to extend the Broncos' lead to 24-6.
Setu and another ex-Dragons forward, Ashton Sims, played starring roles in the win.
Attempting a late revival, Dragons lock Jeremy Smith was ruled to have fallen short of the line after the video referee ruled "ref's call", before Sailor was held up over the line.
Morris's second offered the Red V fans hope, but Soward missed the conversion, meaning the Dragons needed to score three times to even send the game to golden point extra time.
Soward then placed a neat chip-and-chase but threw a pass intended for Sailor into touch.
It summed up the frustrating night for the once raging premiership favourites.
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