Wigan Warriors prop-forward Joe Bullock will have X-rays on Monday morning to determine the amount of damage caused by a hand injury sustained during Saturday night’s 12-28 victory over Catalans Dragons in Perpignan.
Bullock left the field in pain and medical examinations should reveal whether there is any fracture.
Coach Adrian Lam told League Express: “We’re hoping for the best, but it looks like he could have broken his hand. It’s too early to say at this stage, but we’ll find out on Monday morning.”
Lam will be hoping for positive news as he prepares his side for the quarter-finals of the Challenge Cup this weekend, particularly as his team suffered the last-minute withdrawal of skipper Sean O’Loughlin before the match at Stade Gilbert Brutus.
“One of his family members had some Covid symptoms,” said Lam.
“Rather than make him play, we thought we’d take the precaution and make sure that he, his family and all of our club and players are safe as well.”
Lam explained the problems Wigan had in travelling to Perpignan for the first match in front of a crowd (5,000) since the lockdown began in March.
“It was a 4.45am wake-up for me and most of the boys to get here and play over 12 hours later, so it’s a pretty good result, considering the rebound we needed from last week (against Hull KR).
“We tweaked a few things. When you have a loss like we did last week, people think that you took them lightly and didn’t prepare well, it’s not that at all.
“It’s just a mentality and an attitude when you take the game on. We even started pretty well (against Hull KR) but a few things went against us and that can happen against those teams.
“I just asked the team to be the players that they are, I reminded them that they have their name across the back of their jerseys and they are representing their families. Every time they put that Wigan jersey on there’s an expectation and they need to step up.
“I was really pleased with their efforts today and you could see it was a different team.”
Lam was particularly pleased with two-try winger Joe Burgess and the renewal of his partnership with centre Oliver Gildart.
The coach said: “Joe has worked his way back into the team and has taken his opportunities. I thought he was great today and probably could have got a third try. I’m pleased for him and Oliver and that left-hand side.”
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