St Helens: Alex Walmsley provides injury update

St Helens forward Alex Walmsley is among Super League’s best props but the England international is currently sidelined with a hamstring injury.

Walmsley limped off in St Helens’ Challenge Cup loss to Warrington Wolves, a game that saw Paul Wellens tear into his team for their tactics post-match.

Whilst trailing by 12 points with 18 minutes to go, the Red Vee opted for a short kick-off which Warrington pouched and saw Wellens accuse his team of wanting the game to be ‘too easy’.

“I was shocked that at 18 minutes to go, we went for a short kick-off”, Wellens explained, adding: “I thought that was a sign of where we were as a team. We almost wanted things to come a bit easy.”

Whilst that loss in itself was devastating,  the injury to Alex Walmsley simply compounded it and the prop has now provided an update on the issue.

When will Alex Walmsley return?

Speaking on The Bench podcast, Alex Walmsley has revealed that he needs a ‘couple of checks’ before there’s a definitive answer on his injury.

He said: “I Got a hamstring issue, that’s what’s keeping me out through a couple of checks we need to line up and hopefully, we get an answer in the next few days to see where we’re at.”

That’s potentially a diplomatic answer given that head coach Paul Wellens had outlined that it was potentially a four-month absence with the hamstring issue being compounded by another injury.

Following Saints’ win over Huddersfield Giants on Thursday night, Wellens spoke on Sky Sports to confirm the status of Alex Walmsley.

“The hamstring injury is a 6-8 week one, but I think it’s looking like Alex Walmsley may require knee surgery as well off the back of that,” Wellens said.

“If that’s the case, it’s going to keep him out for probably double that period.”

It would be a massive blow if that is the case but St Helens fans can take some solace in the fact that fellow prop Agnatius Paasi looks to be nearing a return after his season-ending injury that was sustained in last year’s Challenge Cup.

Red Vee fans will also get to see Walmsley for potentially the rest of his career after he signed a new deal keeping him with the club until the end of the 2026 season.

On that, he said: “To re-sign and confirm where I’m gonna be in the next two years is very reassuring.”