Casualty Ward: Isa lip, Sutcliffe blow, Leigh update & scans for Hudds duo
Photo: Craig Thomas/News Images
Keep up to date with the latest injury news in Casualty Ward, this week including Wigan’s Willie Isa, Leigh and Huddersfield.
Isa’s nasty lip injury
Wigan forward Willie Isa suffered a nasty lip injury during his side’s 18-10 defeat to Catalans on Thursday.
Blood was pouring from his mouth which forced the 34-year-old to change shirts midway through the first half.
Isa did his best to remain on the field but was eventually pulled to be looked at just 10 minutes until the break and later returned in the second half.
He has since tweeted saying that he will be ‘good to go’ against Huddersfield this Friday.
Disappointed with last night’s result but we go again next week 🍒
Thanks to everyone for the well being messages. I’m fine and will be good to go next Friday💪
PS – topman Prof Brookes 👏 pic.twitter.com/kAgAMasTC4
— Willie Isa (@ISA_Willie) March 10, 2023
Sutcliffe blow
Castleford will be without Alex Sutcliffe for their trip to his former club Leeds on Thursday. The utility player failed a head injury assessment in their 36-6 defeat at Huddersfield on Friday night.
Tigers interim coach Andy Last said in his midweek press conference last week that winger Bureta Faraimo and hooker Paul McShane would have late fitness checks ahead of the Huddersfield game. The duo didn’t play against the Giants, so they could return this week.
Last says the Tigers will be without full-back Niall Evalds for up to six weeks after damaging an ACL joint.
TIGERS: Castleford learn more on Niall Evalds injury
Handley out
On a night that saw Harry Newman and James Bentley return from injury, Leeds were dealt a blow when winger Ash Handley was forced from the field in their 26-0 win over Wakefield on Friday.
Speaking after the game, Rhinos coach Rohan Smith says he could be facing a few weeks out with an ankle injury.
Huddersfield duo set for scans
Huddersfield coach Ian Watson says Theo Fages and Joe Greenwood will go for scans after picking up injuries in their win over Castleford.
Watson said post-match: “It doesn’t look good at the moment.
“Theo is in a boot but we think it’s his calf. He said he felt a real sharp pain in the back of it when we conceded that try.
“So that’s going to be an interesting one to look at. Joe said he felt something in his knee, as well. We suspect that’s meniscus or something like that.
“But we’ll only know until we get a scan. But it doesn’t look great at the moment.”
Huddersfield were also without star winger Jermaine McGillvary for the Castleford game with a hamstring injury.
Watson said: “We don’t know how long that will be, but it’s nothing major. It’s more of a tightening more than anything else.”
GIANTS: Ian Watson provides further details on Jermaine McGillvary injury
McNamara provides Catalans update
Dragons coach Steve McNamara provided an injury update following their win at Wigan.
McNamara told Love Rugby League: “Sam’s (Tomkins) knee injury, we knew it would react after one game which it did do.
“He won’t be far off now, next week or the week after. He’ll recover from that and we’ll get him back on the field pretty soon.
“Mitchell Pearce has got a calf injury and Siosiua (Taukeiaho) is the same. He picked up a calf injury this week so that’s disappointing.
“Alrix Da Costa is close to getting back and Matt Whitley is only a couple of weeks away. Fouad Yaha is a long-term injury for us so we’re dealing with a few there.”
Latest on Leigh trio
Leigh enjoyed a 20-12 win over champions St Helens on Friday night but had to do it without the likes of Joe Wardle, Jack Hughes and Oliver Holmes.
Speaking after the game, Lam told Love Rugby League: “Wardle has had scans so we are just waiting on the results for that. I think there is a slight strain to his pec, but we aren’t sure on the level of that.
“Holmes is going to probably be another two weeks and Jack Hughes was potentially available tonight, but I thought we needed players who were 100% fit to go in to this game so he is probably a week away.”
Hull KR boost
Jordan Abdull should be available for Hull KR’s trip to Perpignan next weekend. (Hull Live)
The Man of Steel leader missed their defeat to Warrington on Friday with a calf injury, but Hull Live report Abdull should be back next Saturday.
The club confirmed last week that they will be without key forward Kane Linnett for around a month. The Scotland international suffered knee ligament damage in their loss to Leigh in Round Three.
Wakefield suffer triple blow
Mark Applegarth’s side were dealt a double blow in Friday night’s defeat at Headingley. Half-back Lee Gaskell is set for weeks on the sidelines with a suspected torn pectoral muscle. Samisoni Langi won’t be available for Sunday’s match at Salford after failing a head injury assessment.
This comes just days after it scans confirmed that Lewis Murphy‘s season was over due to an ACL injury.
Rowley on Salford duo
We will probably find out more on injured Salford duo Ollie Partington (knee) and Joe Burgess (shoulder) this week. Red Devils coach Paul Rowley confirmed to the media prior to their 60-14 win at Hull that the pair had scans and were awaiting to see a specialist to find out more.
Wire youngster could need operation
Young Warrington forward Adam Holroyd is set to be sidelined for an unconfirmed period due to a shoulder injury sustained in their 40-16 win over Salford in a reserves match. Wire coach Daryl Powell said Holroyd could need an operation.
Our Casualty Ward feature is out every week with the latest injury news.
