HUDDERSFIELD GIANTS will be without forward Bethan Oates for the entire season due to an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury.
Oates, who has captained Huddersfield in each of the past two seasons, damaged her knee in training four weeks ago.
She hopes to have surgery in the next month and return for the start of next season, but her absence is a significant blow to the Giants’ aspirations of challenging Super League’s top four after a fifth-placed finish last term.
“I used my left-foot step and my foot decided it didn’t want to come with me,” explained Oates.
“I had an MRI scan a couple of days later which indicated I had ruptured my ACL and torn my meniscus along with a couple of other bits in there which aren’t as serious.”
Oates still hopes to assist the team this year in a coaching capacity, including on matchdays.
“I’m big on defence and I lead the forward pack on the field so I’m trying to implement a few things,” she said.
“There are players in a similar position to me who will now get more opportunity. They’re always asking questions, so I’ll help them develop as a bit of a mentor.
“I have done coaching before, it’s not all new to me. I started an Under 14s team at Thornhill Trojans (in 2018), when they’d never had a girls team.
“I did that for a year, and I was playing on and off for Dewsbury Celtic when I could around work, but when I came to Huddersfield it was hard to juggle both.
“Hopefully that will keep me focused throughout my rehab.”