St Helens head coach Paul Rowley says the club can feel a ‘little bit hard done by’ with some of their injuries as he aired frustrations over those injuries that have come as a result of foul play.
One obvious injury that came off the back of foul play was Jacob Host’s fractured leg with Bradford Bulls’ Loghan Lewis subsequently banned for two matches after his tackle technique was deemed ‘dangerous contact’.
Whilst Lewis will return this Thursday night following a ban, St Helens are without Host for the forseeable as the NRL recruit recovers and Rowley noted that aspect of the club’s injury crisis when speaking to the media on Tuesday.
“I think the manner of the injuries is the problem. There are pretty much a lot of long-term injuries,” explained Rowley when asked if he could see positives in the fact that their injury crisis has come at the start of the season, as opposed to the end.
“There’s a couple in there from foul play, but we’re not allowed to get exemption unless they’re out for the year, so you almost feel a little bit hard done to in that respect.
“We’re compromised in terms of squad and availability in terms of numbers, through no fault of our own and so it’s difficult to navigate.”
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St Helens boss addresses hooker depth after latest injury
Circling back to the initial point, Rowley did accept that the injury crisis has offered opportunities to a number of players, many of whom are thrived though he admitted: “We’d rather have a healthy squad.”
One man who has earned an opportunity having returned from injury himself is Jake Wingfield with the forward making his season appearance in the Challenge Cup tie against Castleford Tigers, before performing well again last week.
Daryl Clark still needs to pass checks before returning after a HIA whilst fellow hooker Jake Burns is out for ‘three to four months’ with an ankle injury, meaning Wingfield could be set for an expanded role.
On the number nine position, Rowley said: “I think most clubs have got a bit more hefty cover there but we’ve got versatility and I think Jake Wingfield has been very, very good at nine.”
As such he admitted: “It’s not something that we’re in an urgency to fill a hole. We don’t see as a hole, so to speak. We’ll just roll with that one and see where we’re getting and what we think we need to do later down the track.”
On Wingfield specifically, Rowley added: “He’s been great. Really good. Yeah, I’m pleased for him as well. He’s another one who’s just been waiting for that little bit of consistency in terms of staying on the field.
“He’s a popular lad and we understand why. What he does on the field and off the field is very, very good.”
