“Down on troops” – Super League side lose four players

Approaching the business end of the season it’s more important than ever to try and keep your players fresh but one side will be unable to do that after the Super League injury curse has struck them down.

That side are the Huddersfield Giants who will be without up to four players for their home tie against Salford Red Devils on Friday night as they continue without a head coach following Ian Watson’s sacking.

Watson was relieved of his job after recording just one win in eight but interim boss Luke Robinson couldn’t remedy that, despite an improved performance as the Giants lost just 20-16 to Leigh Leopards.

One issue that Robinson will have to overcome is the Super League injury curse with three players forced to leave the field and another potentially facing a ban after being sent off.

That likely means that four of the matchday 17 from Saturday’s loss will not be available for Friday, leaving Robinson certain of one thing, the Giants will “be down on troops next week”.

Super League Injury woes stack up for Huddersfield Giants

Speaking to the press just after the loss to Leigh, Robinson revealed that three players have fallen onto the Super League injury list for the Giants with one of those potentially out for an extended period.

In a game full of Head Injury Assessments, it was confirmed that the Giants saw two failed tests, but a potential torn pec for Joe Greenwood could be the hammer blow.

On the Giants’ YouTube channel, Robinson stated: “It doesn’t look good for a lot of players. Joe looked like it was going to be a shoulder injury but they’re going to reassess him. We just have to wait until the swelling goes down but we don’t know if he’s torn his pec.

“Either way, he was obviously in an arm brace and he doesn’t look good.”

On the HIAs, of which the Giants failed two, Robinson revealed: “Sam Hewitt got knocked out. Ash Golding had back spasms before the game and ended up going with a HIA as well.

“McGowan went off but he came back on so we’ll have to wait and see for when the physios reassess everyone. Fingers crossed, it’s not too bad, but it looks like we’ll be down on troops next week for certain.”

It was announced earlier today that forward Matty English had been recalled from his loan spell at Castleford Tigers, such is the state of the injury crisis at Huddersfield.

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Red card could add to absentees

Even worse for Huddersfield Giants is the fact that they are anticipating the loss of forward Andre Savelio to the disciplinary process with the ex-Hull FC man sent off for another high tackle.

It marks the second time in just four appearances this year for the Giants in Super League that he has been shown red. Luke Robinson will be hoping the Match Review Panel come down gently on his second-rower.

On the incident, he said: “I didn’t have my glasses on so I didn’t see it in too much but that’s what happens if you make contact with the head now. I don’t know how much contact was made with the head.”

He noted the changing times as well, Robinson played over 220 times for Huddersfield Giants and put in shots similar to Savelio’s “five or six” times a game.

“When I were a player, I probably had about five or six of them a game and just played on but it’s just the way the game’s changed,” Robinson explained.

“In the modern game, whether it’s accidental or whether it’s on purpose, making contact with the head is deemed as a sending off.”

Asked if he’d spoken with Savelio, Robinson decided to back him instead of criticise him: “I spoke to him previously about his tackle technique because I love the fact that he likes to bang and I love the fact that he likes to whack people. But unfortunately now, like I say with the way the game’s going, even if there are mitigating circumstances or someone’s falling or something you’ve just got to be careful.”