SALFORD RED DEVILS will be without star back Nene Macdonald again for Sunday’s visit of St Helens.
The Papua New Guinea international has only made five appearances for the club this season, missing a spell when he was taken off Salford’s reduced salary cap and loaned to Oldham, and then spending time in Australia for the birth of his child.
He returned in May but missed Salford’s most recent game, a 6-46 defeat to Wigan Warriors, through illness.
Red Devils coach Paul Rowley said: “I don’t think Nene will be back. Possibly Chris Hill, Joe Mellor and Shane Wright (will return from injuries).”
Any returnees will be a welcome boost to beleaguered Salford, whose players were given a full week off to recharge during the break for the Challenge Cup final and only returned to training on Saturday.
However they won’t be bringing any new players in before Sunday’s match.
Jake Thewlis, George Hill and Harvey Makin have been recalled by parent clubs Warrington Wolves, Castleford Tigers and Wigan Warriors respectively since Salford reached the six-player loan limit, but Rowley has confirmed no further loan additions will be made for at least another round.
“We won’t be bringing any loan players in this week,” said the coach.
“We can start looking at that but they (other squads) are all battered and bruised at the minute so there’s not a lot of movement anywhere.
“We’d always welcome those players back. We’ve not had a bad player on loan at all so that door is always open from our point of view.”