ST HELENS coach Paul Rowley admits that his selection plans for his spine players in 2026 have been thrown into disarray, following serious injuries to fullback Jack Welsby and halfback Jonny Lomax (above).
Rowley is due to reveal details of his squad to travel to Catalans Dragons on Thursday.
Welsby is recovering from shoulder surgery following an injury suffered in St Helens’ opening game of the Super League season, while Lomax, who partnered Jackson Hastings at halfback against Leigh last week while Tristan
Sailor moved to fullback initially, also faces a lengthy absence after leaving the field with injury in that game.
“Jonny dislocated his wrist, so that will be a few weeks,” confirmed Rowley, who is hoping that some absent members of his squad will come into contention in the near future.
“Mark Percival is running today and getting involved in the team.. He can’t be far off now, and he will probably be in full training in the next week or two.
“Jake Wingfield and Noah Stephens are both injured, but are not far off, just one to two weeks. They have trained but they might just run out of time for this Saturday’s game.
“Agnatius Paasi has been training really well, but his absence is a team selection matter.”
In last week’s game, after Lomax left the field youngster Harry Robertson moved to fullback and gave a strong performance. But Rowley hasn’t yet decided whether to start him in that position against the Catalans.
“I haven’t made my mind up,” he said.
“I set my stall out early with the spine, but it’s different when you are forced into situations. I don’t think anyone would have envisaged losing Jack and Jonny so early in the season.”
Another player who will be touch and go for Saturday is centre Nene Macdonald, who left the field with a leg injury against Leigh, but who Rowley confirmed has an outside chance of being fit to face the Catalans.