Huddersfield Giants have been dealt some crushing news on the injury front, with forward Asher O’Donnell possibly set to miss the rest of the season through injury.
O’Donnell was the victim of a hip-drop tackle in the Giants’ Magic Weekend defeat to York Knights. The incident went unpunished at the time, but York’s Cody Hunter was handed five penalty points by the Match Review Panel earlier this week.
The lack of punishment is something that boss Jim Lenihan spoke out about post-match, but the boss is now more concerned with his back rower, who is set for an extended spell on the sidelines.
The boss said: “At the moment, it looks like it could be fairly long term, which is very disappointing. At this point in time, I think they’re having a second opinion done with a specialist, but it looks like some sort of ankle reconstruction.
“He’s done his ligaments, I think, on the inside and outside. It’s not syndesmosis, but it’s the other ligaments around his ankle. So not great news there at that point.
“…He’s one of our strike players on our edge. Our back row has been going pretty good of late. And to go down in that manner, a bit of a hip drop sort of style tackle, going in for a try, it’s unfortunate.
“I know no one means to do those types of tackles, but we are the ones who end up paying the price for it.
An update was also given on Chris Patolo, who suffered a failed HIA in the game.
“He’ll miss this weekend, with HIA protocol, and probably the next one as well,” Lenihan confirmed. “He’s sort of come back a little bit groggy.”
Commenting on who could replace the forward pair, Lenihan said that Sam Hewitt will return in the back row, whilst there Matty English could come into the side after being 18th man at the weekend.
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Huddersfield Giants boss issues extended injury latest
The boss also issued updates on other members of the squad. Jacob Gagai is in contention to return, should he come through captain’s run unscathed, but Tom Burgess is more of a longer-term problem.
“He’s suffering a bit of a hip,” Lenihan said on the experienced prop. “He’s had a bit of a hip issue for a while. Because he’s been playing and training and elevated, with that, other parts of his body now are starting to get a little bit offset by that.
“At this point in time, we’re just looking at what we do with Tom long-term and how we take management of his injury at this point. It’s going to be an unknown length of time at this point working out Tom’s injury.”
Liam Sutcliffe is fit and healthy, but won’t feature this week, whilst Fenton Rogers could make a return to the matchday 17.
Lenihan didn’t rule out a potential loan spell for Sutcliffe, who last played Super League in April 2025.
