Wigan coach Shaun Wane has revealed that Sam Tomkins is expected to return to first-team action around the end of June.
Tomkins has been out of action with a foot injury for several months, having suffered the injury last September, missing Wigan’s run to Grand Final glory at the end of 2016.
There have been various expected dates for Tomkins to return since, but Wane, speaking at his pre-match media conference ahead of Sunday’s trip to Swinton, said it now looks likely Tomkins is around six weeks away – but it could be more.
He said: “Sam has ran today (Wednesday); he’ll still be around six weeks off playing.
“(It will be) towards the end of June, but it might be eight (weeks), because it was a complicated problem with his foot – which is a complicated thing in itself with all the bones in there – so I’m not going to set a date for him.
“He plays when he plays, and he’s desperate to play so I don’t need to push him.”
On the more immediate injury front, Wane has also revealed he could welcome back George Williams from injury this weekend – but there is a doubt over captain Sean O’Loughlin.
O’Loughlin has returned from England’s game against Samoa in Sydney with a calf problem, while Williams – who was forced to miss that trip due to an injury of his own – will be assessed closer to Sunday’s game.
“I’ll have a look at George and Lockers on Saturday,” Wane said.
“The medical team have worked hard with George, and he’s got a chance. Lockers has come back with a tight calf, which is disappointing.”
Wane also hinted that there may even be a possibility of him giving out another debut to a youngster this weekend as the club’s injury problems show no sign of abating.
“There’s a possibility of another debut and I’ll have a look at that. At the moment I’m not even close to my team because there’s so many being scanned and things like that. There’s always a chance though, the way our luck is going at the moment.”
