Hull Kingston Rovers interim coach Danny McGuire insists he does not want any sympathy after his lengthy injury crisis got worse on Thursday.
The Robins went into their Super League clash at the DW Stadium without 16 regulars, and that got worse by the end of the night with four more new problems.
Will Dagger limped off the field with a ruptured Achilles and is out for the season, while Lachlan Coote failed a head assessment test and teenage debutants Connor Moore and Charlie Cavanaugh both came off late on with injuries.
Hull KR ended the game with just twelve men on the field. They had not used all their substitutes, but McGuire knew the game had gone and he couldn’t risk anyone else getting injured.
“I honestly don’t know what to say about it,” said McGuire on the injury crisis.
“It’s laughable. If you don’t laugh, you’ll cry.
“I am trying my best to remain as positive as possible. We got beaten by 40 points but I was proud of them for still scrapping away at the end. We try hard, we haven’t got the best players in the competition but we have a team that want to play well for each other. I am proud of them. There is no getting away that we were outclassed at times, but they kept trying.
“I’m lucky to be in charge.
“Lachlan Coote will miss next week with a failed head injury. Will Dagger has ruptured his Achilles. I’m not far off playing myself. It’s too late to get registered, so I’m saying this now knowing I can’t play. Our young prop Connor Moore was on for two minutes then off again. I wouldn’t put George King back on, so we played with twelve for the last few minutes.
“Charlie Cavanaugh got injured in the end there. He tried his heart out and has dislocated his knee cap. When it rains, it pours.”
McGuire is hopeful that Shaun Kenny-Dowall, Frankie Halton, Albert Vete and Jimmy Keinhorst will all be available to face Toulouse on Thursday. Korbin Sims will return after completing his one-match suspension.
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