EAMON O’CARROLL has told the remaining St Helens forwards to grasp their opportunity as the club’s early-season injury crisis continues.
Barely a week has gone by this year without a significant new injury being added to their list of troubles.
New captain Matty Lees was ruled out for three months with a knee injury suffered in their Challenge Cup third-round win at Workington Town.
Halfbacks Jack Welsby and Jonny Lomax suffered shoulder and wrist injuries in the first two Super League rounds, then Alex Walmsley picked up a foot injury in the third at Catalans Dragons which will sideline him for six weeks.
Their victory over Bradford Bulls in round four also came at a price, the biggest being the broken leg suffered by Jacob Host, who will spend four months out.
In addition, Nene Macdonald did knee damage with the extent not yet known, George Delaney suffered a head injury and Joe Shorrocks picked up a two-match suspension for dangerous contact.
The latter pair’s absences for Saturday’s Challenge Cup tie at Castleford Tigers means Saints’ last senior front-rowers standing are David Klemmer, Noah Stephens – who himself only returned from a fractured ankle against Bradford – and Agnatius Paasi.
Paasi is yet to be selected by coach Paul Rowley this season and featured for Salford against Workington last weekend.
Jake Wingfield is also set to return, likely to fill the loose-forward role so far occupied by Shorrocks.
Rowley’s assistant O’Carroll said: “We’re more than confident in the people we have got.
“We’re seeing this moment as a bit of a challenge and one to excite us.
“We have full trust in the group. We have a squad. We’re getting tested pretty early on in terms of our numbers, but we have got a more than capable squad to go out and compete.
“We’ve proven that in the early rounds of the season. We have a ‘next man up’ mentality.”
Saints have won their last three in Super League and O’Carroll added: “We know we could have done some things better.
“But when you take a step back and look at what’s going on, at the number of people we’re losing and key individuals as well, it’s a fair amount of disruption.
“I’ve got to give credit to the lads for how they’re handling that and coming through some adversity.
“Yes, we’d like to be a bit more crisp with our performances, on both sides of the ball, but we’re picking up wins which is what matters at the moment.”