Both teams will be without three of their top-20 squad numbers when Leeds Rhinos play host to Wigan Warriors on Saturday.
Scrum-half Matt Frawley is back in contention for Rhinos following a concussion and Tom Holroyd has completed a two-match ban, but hooker Andy Ackers suffered a long-term injury during last week’s Betfred Challenge Cup defeat at St Helens. Here’s who’s ruled out for Leeds and when they could be back.
Maika Sivo
Leeds’ star wing signing suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury during Ash Handley’s testimonial game against Wigan on January 26 and won’t play a competitive match this year.
Andy Ackers
The first-choice hooker tore a hamstring against St Helens last week and will be sidelined for up to three months.
Cameron Smith
Rhinos’ loose-forward and co-captain had an operation on an ankle injury suffered against Salford Red Devils on February 22. He’s still in a protective boot, but could be back on the field in around six weeks’ time.
Ben Littlewood
The 20-year-old forward underwent surgery on a hamstring injury early in pre-season. He is a couple of months away from being available for selection.
Ned McCormack
The rookie centre hasn’t played since suffering hamstring damage in the act of scoring against Warrington last July. He has had an operation and could be sidelined for the entire season.
Max Simpson
The Leeds Rhinos centre had hoped to be back on the field this month, for the first time since an anterior cruciate ligament tear in January, 2023, but sustained a separate hamstring injury in training. He could make his comeback in April.
Fergus McCormack
Like his elder brother, the teenage half-back has a hamstring injury. He is back in light training, but no return date has been given.
Wigan also picked up a long-term injury, to centre Adam Keighran, in their Cup defeat by Hull FC last week. Winger Abbas Miski has been named in the 21 after missing the last two games due to swelling on an old injury following the Warriors’ return from Las Vegas.
Jai Field was also included in the initial squad, but is in doubt after suffering damage to a hamstring in the Cup tie. Here’s Wigan’s casualty list.
Adam Keighran: The centre battled through last weekend’s Challenge Cup loss to Hull FC, but was later diagnosed with a medial collateral ligament injury and is expected to be off the field for eight-10 weeks.
Brad O’Neill: The hooker is getting towards the end of his recovery from an anterior cruciate ligament injury sustained last year. He could be back next month.
Ethan Havard: The prop pulled a hamstring in training at the start of February, with an estimated time frame of ‘a few months’.
