Golden shoulder blow for Knights
York City Knights are have been dealt a blow with Jason Golden possibly ruled out for the season after suffering a dislocated shoulder in Friday’s 46-14 loss at Sheffield.
The former Wakefield and London player will be sidelined for a minimum of a month and potentially the full year depending on the extent of ligament damage.
With Sam Scott and Ed Smith having sat out that match with a back injury and dead leg respectively, and Sam Orange yet to make his debut due to knee surgery, it leaves the Knights without all four of their leading second-rowers.
Knights Boss Gary Thornton told www.yorkpress.co.uk : “Jason needs to get booked in for a scan to see whether he needs an operation. It depends how bad it is. If he needs an operation, it could be the season. Until it’s scanned it’s difficult to say.
“It’s a massive blow, huge. Jason is one of our more senior players, he’s vice-captain. He offers an awful lot to the team in terms of his attitude and the way he plays.
“He was a marquee signing. The club put a lot of effort into signing him so it would be a huge blow if he’s out long-term. Fingers crossed it’s not as bad as that but my experience of dislocated shoulders is they’re not quick things.”
Thornton was also bracing himself for bad news regarding dual-reg half-back Danny Nicklas, who could be recalled by parent club Hull after the Airlie Birds’ first-choice scrum-half Brett Seymour was involved in a car crash and placed on immediate leave from the club after being released from hospital.
The Knights also saw captain James Ford rejoin the lengthy injury list on Friday night after pulling out of the warm-up with a groin strain. He is hopeful Ford’s injury is short-term, but Golden’s is a major long-term concern.
He added: “We’ll have to see how Sam Scott and Ed Smith are and see who’s available, but at this moment I don’t know what we’ll do. We have Aaron Lyons, Jack Iley and young Tyler Craig but they’re not experienced back-rowers.”
York are at home to Workington this Sunday, kick off 3pm.