ST HELENS might have snapped their losing sequence – but coach Paul Wellens’ backrow worries are racking up.
While Thursday’s 40-0 home win over Catalans Dragons was a first in four in Super League, both Matt Whitley and Jake Wingfield were forced off injured.
Saints, who head to Huddersfield Giants on Friday, already had James Bell (broken foot) and Joe Batchelor (hamstring) sidelined.
Now Wellens admits he will have to “figure something out” for the game at the John Smith’s Stadium.
Whitley took a first-half head knock and failed his assessment, while Wingfield sustained a dead leg late on.
He duly limped out of the action, with hooker Daryl Clark switching to the back row for the final stages.
“Matty failed his HIA, so he’s going to be missing (at Huddersfield) and Jake has a really bad dead leg,” reported Wellens.
“Jake was limping about in there, so obviously our backrow options are pretty low at the moment.
“We finished the game with Daryl in the back row because he’s a really competent defender.
“Those two (Whitley and Wingfield) are the casualties from the night. We will figure something out moving forward.”
Rising halfback star George Whitby further enhanced his growing reputation with a hat-trick of tries and six goals against Catalans – two days before his 19th birthday.
And Wellens said: “The way he plays the game, the maturity he has for such a young man, in a position with such responsibility, is first-class.”
The Huddersfield game is the first of three away from the Totally Wicked Stadium, with trips to Hull KR and Salford Red Devils following.
Those three pre-Catalans losses were also on the road – against Wigan Warriors, Warrington Wolves, then Leeds Rhinos at Magic Weekend.
Saints’ next home match is against Leeds on Friday, June 20.