CQUniversity Taipans Academy player Shaun Bruce will replace injured forward Dusty Rychart when the Skytrans Cairns Taipans travel to the Wollongong Hawks on Friday night.

Rychart suffered bone bruising in his left leg and hand in a training fall yesterday.

The club will re-evaluate Rychart next week ahead of its road trip to play the Perth Wildcats next Friday.

Bruce logged 14 minutes when the Snakes last faced the Hawks in Cairns, scoring seven points including two three-pointers in a 76-66 win.