Hull FC head coach Tony Smith has confirmed winger Harvey Barron has sustained a fractured skull, and now faces six weeks out.
The back picked up the injury during the Airlie Birds reserve game against Castleford Tigers, an incident which also saw him receive a grade C head contact charge and a one-match suspension.
Speaking to the media ahead of the Hull derby this weekend, boss Tony Smith confirmed Barron will sit out for six weeks through injury.
“He had a fracture to his forehead,” said Smith. “He’s been to see the specialist, and he’s got a six week recovery from that.”
He added: “It’s a crack to his skull basically, an indentation in his skull. After six weeks he can resume contact, but until then no contact. He’s back doing some bike work, he did 15 minutes on bike in order to overcome his HIA requirements, but he won’t be physically ready for about six weeks.”
The 20-year-old is a product of the Hull academy, and in between loan spells at Whitehaven and Newcastle Thunder has racked up eight Super League appearances for the Airlie Birds.
Tony Smith on Hull FC squad options
Credit: Imago Images
Whilst Smith will have to accommodate the injury to Barron, he will have some more front-line troops at his disposal.
Ahead of the weekend’s clash with city rivals Hull KR-the second Hull derby this season-he confirmed ‘a couple of boys’ will return to the fold.
“We feel like we’re putting a couple of our boys back in the squad. It gives you a couple more choices to make in terms of selections, which you always want as a coach; you want to be able to have selection issues in terms of who you’d rather have in out of a number of people.”
