Featherstone Rovers coach Jon Sharp has urged his squad to continue their never-say-die attitude amid a crippling injury list.
Rovers handed a debut to young backrower Curtis McDonald on Sunday with Sharp’s already small squad shorn of eight first-choice players.
With partner club Leeds also struggling with injuries, Sharp has had little room for manoeuvre.
And most of the players are out with mid- to long-term injuries, meaning that the Rovers coach is continuing to scour the market for potential new recruits.
Centre Michael Channing is the latest casualty after having suffered another hamstring strain in training that will sideline him for another six weeks.
He joins Matty Wildie (knee, season), Steve Snitch (knee, three weeks), Kyle Briggs (ankle, four weeks), Scott Turner (hamstring, four weeks), Carlton Roche (ankle, three weeks), Sam Day, finger, six weeks) and Danny Craven (concussion, unknown).
Sharp said: “It’s absolutely unbelievable at the moment.
“We’re also feeling the knock-on effect of having no Leeds players available for dual-registration.
“But the players have shown a never-say-die attitude and that has to continue.
“We’re calling up blokes from a reserve team that’s been disbanded, which isn’t ideal, but we have to carry on.”
