Salford pair set for long-term injury lay-offs as loanee also recalled in further blow

Salford Red Devils have suffered three huge blows ahead of Sunday’s trip to Wakefield – with Jayden Nikorima and Ethan Ryan both ruled out long-term and George Hill recalled from his loan deal by Castleford.

Nikorima and Ryan both left the field during Sunday evening’s defeat at the Tigers, and subsequent assessements of the pair have shown they have both suffered serious knee problems.

That will keep them both out for at least the next two months in a major blow for Rowley, whose squad is already stretched for obvious reasons away from the field.

And the Salford coach will now have to contend with the loss of two more key players going into the middle part of the season.

“They’re both gone,” Rowley said in his pre-match press conference.

“They’ve both got knee injuries, there’s tendon injuries within there. There’s loads of different things going on. They’re back in with specialists but we’re clear enough to know that it’s not a one or two-week lay-off.

“They’re both runners they both make things happen. The opportunities we created at Castleford, it’s people like Ethan and Jayden that ice those moments.

“They’re a huge loss, they’d have been a huge loss five months ago because they both start in our team.”

And Rowley’s problems have been further compounded after Castleford opted to recall Hill from his loan deal at the Red Devils.

The Salford coach also admitted the prospect of bringing a replacement in for the short-term seems unlikely, too.

“George Hill has been took back to Castleford so we’ve lost a player there too,” he said.

“It’s not good for us but it’s good for him. In terms of loans, when you’ve got a couple of clubs featuring in a cup final.. there’s not a lot out there going spare.”

Salford will, however, welcome back prop Joe Bullock on Sunday – but only 18 players will make the trip to Wakefield in a reduced squad.

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