CENTRE Willie Tonga has played his last game for the Bulldogs after undergoing a shoulder reconstruction last week - and it is likely he will not be the only player to have his season wrecked by the surgeon's knife, with an injury crisis gripping the club.

Tonga's season-ending surgery last Wednesday has left the 24-year-old at the top of a growing list of injured Bulldogs. He will join 11 players potentially unavailable for the club's round-10 clash with the Gold Coast, with coach Steve Folkes admitting just 13 full-time players will take part in the club's first training run of the week tomorrow.

Forward Justin Tsoulos is also expected to be ruled out for the season, with club doctor Hugh Hazard admitting he was also likely to require a shoulder reconstruction, adding to the club's woes following a 30-4 capitulation to Penrith on Saturday night.

Tsoulos damaged his shoulder against the Panthers, and will join a casualty ward that includes Luke Patten (back), Hazem El Masri (hamstring), Sonny Bill Williams (quad), Ben Roberts (hamstring), Brad Morrin (ribs), Danny Williams (knee), Andrew Emelio (knee), Daryl Millard (knee), Kane Cleal (groin) and Tonga. Tsoulos will have an MRI today but Hazard said Tsoulos was "probably in the same boat" as Tonga.

Tonga suffered his injury in round seven against Manly and had a clean-out last Wednesday. However, surgeons discovered more serious damage and were forced to carry out a full reconstruction, which will end his season.

"He had scans and it showed there was a problem there, but when the surgeon got inside it was a little bit worse and he had to do the whole business," Hazard said.

Tonga, who was looking at a possible Origin recall before the injury, recently signed a four-year deal with North Queensland, meaning his five-year stint at the Bulldogs is over.

Patten, meanwhile, has become a week-to-week proposition after suffering pain and spasms in his back. Hazard denied Patten could have the same chronic problems that have plagued Roosters fullback Anthony Minichiello and Tigers hooker Robbie Farah.

Patten was ordered to have the weekend off and rest by the coaching staff, and will be reassessed by Hazard today.

"I'm not sure about the mechanics of it all, but all back injuries are difficult to diagnose in the first instance," Folkes said.

The good news for the Bulldogs is Sonny Bill Williams, who suffered a cork in last Friday night's Centenary Test, is rated "more likely to play than the others" by Folkes.

"If he does the right thing and we look after him early in the week, he should be OK," Folkes said. "We're swimming [today] but on Tuesday when we have a run, we've only got 13 available to train from the full-time squad. We'll just have to wait and see with a lot of them."

Danny Williams is also expected to return against the Titans.

The injury crisis was some excuse for the Bulldogs' woeful performance against Penrith, although Folkes still described it as "very disappointing".

"It was probably the only game we haven't competed in, and that's disappointing," Folkes said. "Every team has one of them. Hopefully, that's our one for the year."