St Helens captain Matty Lees will miss the start of the new Super League season with a “nasty” knee injury.
Prop Lees, who has replaced Jonny Lomax as Saints skipper for 2026, picked up the injury in the first half of their 98-2 Challenge Cup win at Workington on Friday.
“Matty will be out for several weeks,” Saints head coach Paul Rowley told BBC Radio Merseyside.
“He’s sustained a nasty injury to his knee. It won’t require an operation, so that’s the positive.”
Saints, who finished fifth last year, begin the new season away to Warrington Wolves on Friday.