Leigh Leopards will be without Bailey Hodgson again this week with the sickness that ruled him out last week going on to hospitalise him.
Both Bailey Hodgson and Frankie Halton were late omissions for last week’s win over Castleford and head coach Adrian Lam has now revealed that Hodgson has had a short stint in hospital following an elbow infection.
Speaking at his pre-match presser ahead of Saturday’s trip to face Hull FC, Lam was asked if there were any major concerns this week, with Hodgson’s hospital trip then revealed.
“There’s only Bailey Hodgson, I think he missed the game at the last minute last week because he had some infection in his elbow,” Lam confirmed.
“Since then he’s been admitted to hospital and has stayed overnight for a couple of nights and has had an operation on that because of some danger around the infection site, so not good news for us.
“He’s certainly not going to play this week now and we don’t know how many weeks ahead he’s going to miss out, so obviously not ideal but at least it’s not an injury, it’s not a long-term one. We’ve checked in on him and he’s doing okay as we speak.”
Speaking more on when Hodgson could return, he added: “Definitely week by week, it’s unfortunate the way it’s come about really. It’s one of those ones where it’s got a cut on it and it’s infected an area that’s previously had some screws in it.
“We’re checking in with Bailey and making sure that he’s doing okay.”
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Who will return for Leigh Leopards and when?
With Hodgson confirmed to be missing this week, Lam explained that little else will change with the squad with Frankie Halton, who had a tight hamstring, one of the only possible first-team returnees.
He said: “Apart from (Hodgson), the team won’t change too much from last week. We’ve still got I think 12 or 13 players out now but the possible selection of Frankie Halton, he’s a 50-50, we’re going to give him right up until kick-off to be ready.”
On those who could return in the coming weeks, he confirmed: “There’s players like Andy Badrock that’s been out long term, Joe Ofahengaue will come into consideration.
“I think (Robbie) Mulhern might be two weeks and then Jacob Alick-Wiencke is two weeks as well. Everyone’s back within the next two or three weeks.”
Confirming what his squad may well look like compared to last week, he said: “I think there’ll be probably 18 players named. There’s Nathan Wilde that comes into consideration there, who went out on loan last week for his first week. Will Brough as well was out on loan so those players may come into consideration but the overall bulk of the group will be the same.”
Lam also confirmed that AJ Towse is back running with the winger a possible returnee in the coming weeks.
