An early-morning appointment with Doctor' Hape left David Solomona knowing his knee injury was not as bad as first feared.

The Bulls star, carried off against Wigan on Sunday, was told by a specialist today that he had damaged medial ligaments but NOT his cruciate as initially thought.

Instead of facing six months on the sidelines he could be back in action within just six weeks, a massive boost for the player and his club.

But delighted Solomona revealed Bradford team-mate Shontayne Hape, who has suffered three cruciate injuries himself, had already tipped him off about the good news before meeting the doctor.

"Shonny is a bit of a specialist on knees and he rang me up this morning at about half seven to give me the lowdown," said the Kiwi second-rower.

"He asked me if it was swollen, then asked me if I could stand on it before asking me a few other questions.

"Everything he asked me to do I could. Then he said: Sweet, I don't think you've done your cruciate'.

"He knows his stuff so that meant I was quietly confident going to see the specialist, who said it wasn't too serious."

Solomona, who turns 30 on Saturday, added: "It was a relief.

"It was the first time I'd been stretchered off and it was painful, so I was worried and all I could keep thinking was how I'd been teasing Shonny for a long time about his knee problems!

"I've not suffered many serious injuries. I'd done my arm before I came to Bradford but that was dealt with during the off-season, so I didn't miss any games.

"I've done the medial in the same knee before but I was only out for about three weeks. I'm just happy now knowing I'm not going to miss most of the season.

"The scan results are still to come back with the exact damage but I know it doesn't feel like I've done anything too bad."

Ball-handling Solomona was an ever-present last season following his £100,000 switch from Wakefield and was looking forward to a big year this time around after sorting out a troublesome shoulder problem.

He will miss the opening month of Super League XIII but, as boss Steve McNamara said: "Whilst it is disappointing both for the club and David himself, we realise it could have been a lot worse.

"These injuries are part and parcel of the game and, like other clubs who have suffered injuries in pre-season, we will just have to manage with it.

"Dave will be missing for six to eight weeks and, although he is a big loss to us, we have a strong squad and I feel we are well equipped to cope with the situation."

Solomona's place against his old club Wakefield in their opening Super League match on February 10 could be taken by new signing Simon Finnigan, as long as he recovers from a groin strain sustained in Sunday's 28-16 defeat.

McNamara has plenty of back-row options though, with fellow new arrival Chris Nero also able to play second-row and player of the year Glenn Morrison yet to make his first appearance of pre-season.

Meanwhile, winger Semi Tadulala will have an operation on Thursday on a depressed fractured cheekbone suffered in the same match and will be out for six weeks.

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