NRL star undergoes surgery on ruptured testicle, the pain is 'off the charts'

One unfortunate NRL player has suffered one of the nastiest injuries a man can experience.

North Queensland Cowboys star Tom Dearden has reportedly ruptured his testicle and will now undergo surgery to fix it.

It's understood he sustained the gut-wrenching injury during his side's 48-4 win against the Warriors over the weekend.

The talented 21-year-old is expected to be sidelined for between two to four weeks, tipped to return for Round 25 ahead of the Finals.

According to the NRL Physio, the Cowboys will be wary of rushing the star five-eighth back after going under the knife as there can be long term implications if not treated properly.

"Tom Dearden required surgery after rupturing a testicle in Rd 23," the NRL Physio tweeted.

"Usually requires 2-4 weeks recovery. Pain obviously off the charts - thankfully if treatment performed within 2-3 days 90% make a full recovery with no long term implications (fertility etc)."

Dearden has been in sensational form this season, helping the Cowboys climb to second on the ladder.

His individual performances also saw him selected to represent Queensland in State of Origin, another arena where he thrived under the pressure and steered his team to a historic series victory.

The Cowboys have a tough run leading up to the NRL Finals and Dearden absence will undoubtedly be noticeable.