POOLE star Darcy Ward will miss tomorrow's Elite League grand final second leg after being hospitalised in the early hours of Saturday morning.

The young Australian is currently receiving treatment for head injuries following an incident outside a pub in the Dorset village of Sturminster Marshall, a matter of hours after the initial staging of the meeting was postponed due to rain.

It is not yet clear quite how serious the injuries are, but the Advertiser understands Ward will not be fit to face the Robins tomorrow night with the Pirates set to use Niels Kristian Iversen in his place.

Poole boss Neil Middleditch told the Daily Echo this morning: “We all went to leave and the next thing we heard Darcy had been attacked.

“I wasn’t there but he was taken to hospital, he has had a brain scan and I am going down to see him this afternoon, so I will know more this afternoon.”

It is understood Ward was part of a group from the Pirates who went to the pub following Friday night's postponement.