Bradford Bulls boss Kurt Haggerty has revealed that the club are down to just 15 fit players, with their injury crisis truly hitting rock bottom.
Following the defeat to Wakefield Trinity at the weekend, Haggerty revealed that Esan Marsters and Joe Mellor were the latest names to be added to that injury list, as the Odsal outfit continue to do it tough.
The boss has said that the club are constantly on the phone to different clubs regarding loan players, and should none come in this week there is potential that Bradford are left without a full 17 ahead of their clash with Hull KR on Saturday.
Given that there are so many injuries in the squad, we have decided to take a look at who is currently sidelined, how long for and what their issue is, with the squaf battling a range of different knocks of varying severity.
Bradford Bulls injury run-down
Going in squad number order, winger Jayden Okunbor is still nursing the knee injury he picked up against Hull FC in round one. Bulls’ top try scorer last season is not due back for another few weeks yet.
Esan Marsters and Waqa Blake are the club’s two starting centres, and both are out for the long-term. Marsters suffered a season-ending Achilles injury at the weekend, whilst Blake will be sidelined for around 12 weeks with an MCL issue.
Starting halves Jayden Nikorima and Rowan Milnes have both been doing it tough. Nikorima aggravated an old injury in the defeat to Castleford, and could be out for another month yet. Milnes meanwhile hasn’t been training with the squad, and is hoping to have an injection this week to clear him to play against Hull KR.
Former Wigan and NRL prop Ryan Sutton is said to be out for two months after picking up an issue in defeat to Leeds Rhinos. Fellow forward Dan Russell is currently 50-50 for the game this weekend after suffering a knock to his knee, the opposite knee that has kept him out for most of the season so far.
Joe Mellor will see a specialist on Monday to determine the extent of his injury picked up in the Wakefield loss, whilst prop Eribe Doro could be anywhere up to eight weeks away yet.
Half-back Joe Keyes is still nursing a back issue, whilst Will Gardiner could make his club debut this weekend after returning from injury in the reserve grade over the weekend.
Luke Hooley is out for an extended period with a shoulder issue, whilst Guy Armitage is said to be closest to a return, however that could be another three weeks yet.
Mid-season signings Jack Ormondroyd and Phoenix Steinwede have both had hampered starts to their Bulls careers. Ormondroyd is another who is 50-50 for this week, having picked up a knock in that Wakefield loss. Steinwede meanwhile has only been at the club for a month, but he is facing a 12-week lay-off due to a syndesmosis injury.
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