Wakefield hooker played for three months with broken elbow
Wakefield forward Stuart Howarth injured his arm in a pre-season game against Featherstone in January and unknowingly played eight Super League games with a broken elbow.
Howarth hurt his elbow in the Wildcats’ 22-18 win over Fev three months ago. The hooker has amazingly played through the pain for the past eight matches, with an X-ray last week finally revealing that he had broken a bone.
“It was just a glancing blow at the top of my elbow,” Howarth told Love Rugby League.
“I thought it was ligaments so I played on. I’ve been playing with it sore, injecting it. But its been getting worse. They found a small crack in it.”
With Scott Moore out injured Howarth was Wakefield’s starting hooker for the first part of the season and scored three tries.
The former Hull FC, St Helens and Salford rake has getting by on injections to get through games but was left out of Saturday’s match against the Red Devils once the break was finally revealed.
“It’s playable, it’s just because it’s on the tip of my elbow,” Howarth said.
“Luckily it’s still attached. If it had come away I would have had to get it pinned.”
Remarkably, Howarth could play against Wigan this Sunday with the broken elbow.
“It’s just a matter of symptoms really,” he said.
“If it’s sore I won’t play but if its OK… it’s fine to play and train with it. If you get whacked on it it’s pretty sore. It’s usually the morning after not during the game that it’s worse.
“It just depends on what happens this week in training. I should be good to go for the Wigan game. I want to get back on the field as soon as I can.
“I got off to a good start and now Scotty’s back we’ll be dueling for that position. We’ll just see what happens.”
Howarth is off-contract at the end of this year and would like to stay at Belle Vue.
“I’m open to anything, I love it here,” he said.
“It’s a great club. If I keep playing well and concentrate on my rugby then that will just sort itself out at the end of the day.”
Wakefield are on a three-game winning streak and high on confidence as they prepare to host the Warriors this weekend.
Wigan are coming off two losses in their past three matches and Howarth said coach Chris Chester has lifted the Wildcats since his arrival.
“It’s brilliant, Chezzy’s come in and been brilliant,” the 26-year old said.
“All the boys have picked up. Brian was brilliant at the time but he’s gone, such is life. Chezzy’s come in and done a great job so far.
“We’ve got three wins but it’s not good enough. We’ve got to keep winning and keep winning and climb out of that bottom four. We’ve got Wigan but its’ winnable.
“Every game’s winnable, we’re riding the crest of a wave at the minute. Shaun will have them fired up. They’ve got a few injuries but as have we.
“We’ve just got to keep going as we’ve been going.”