WARRINGTON WOLVES fear they will be without England international Danny Walker for an extended period of time.
Walker has suffered a knee injury which the club believe will require a lengthy lay-off to rectify.
However, they are still to decide when to treat the injury – with a possibility that the 26-year-old carries on playing for now, having been named in their Magic Weekend squad to face Wigan Warriors.
An immediate Walker absence would be another big blow to the Wolves’ spine, which has already been decimated by injuries to first-choice halves George Williams and Marc Sneyd.
Club captain Williams is still in the early stages of an estimated ten-week recovery period following surgery on an ankle injury suffered in Warrington’s defeat to Hull FC last month.
And mid-season signing Sneyd fractured an eye socket in last week’s victory over St Helens, which also required an operation earlier this week.
Walker has taken Williams’ place at stand-off for the Wolves’ past two matches, moving from his usual hooker position where he has established himself as one of Super League’s top nines.
So if he is deemed unfit for Magic, coach Sam Burgess will be in need of an entirely new halfback combination.
Stefan Ratchford and Oli Leyland come into contention after being left out for Walker in the past two weeks, while academy prospect Ewan Irwin could follow up the professional debut made as 18th man against Saints.
On Walker, Burgess told the Warrington Guardian: “We don’t know how serious it is yet. We’ll have to make a decision over the next couple of days.
“At some point, he’ll be out for a little while but whether it’s twelve weeks or six-to-eight, I don’t know.”
Burgess is also without his left-edge partnership of centre Toby King and winger Matty Ashton in Newcastle.
King is being rested with a groin issue while Ashton cannot play due to the head-injury protocols.
Arron Lindop may return in the outside backs following a broken jaw while Jake Thewlis has been recalled from his loan at Salford Red Devils.
King and Ashton could potentially return for Warrington’s Challenge Cup semi-final clash with Leigh Leopards, at St Helens’ Totally Wicked Stadium next Sunday.
