Warrington hoping to have players back soon as Daryl Clark fitness explained 

Warrington boss Daryl Powell is hoping to have at least one player back ahead of their Super League fixture with St Helens next Thursday. 

The Super League leaders fell to their first defeat of the season to Wigan at the Halliwell Jones Stadium with a 13-6 scoreline, putting a stop to their eight-game winning streak.

Head coach Powell was without prop forwards Gil Dudson Joe Philbin due to suspension, while James Harrison and Joe Bullock continue to be sidelined through injury. 

It saw wingers Matty Russell and Greg Minikin named on the bench against Matt Peet’s Warriors, while academy captain Lucas Green made his debut. Hooker Daryl Clark also made an early return from injury to feature as an interchange. 

Daryl Powell on bruised forward pack

“If you look at our bench, it probably gives you a decent picture of where we’re at, at the moment,” Powell said.

“We had two outside-backs on the bench, a real rookie in terms of Lucas Green, and Daryl Clark who was coming back from injury. 

“So we’ve got a nine, a young middle and two outside-backs. 

“That’s going to put a lot of pressure on the middle men who are out there.

“We had Sam Kasiano, who is an impact middle, he’s starting at the moment because Thomas Mikaele’s has gone home. We’ve got two guys suspended and another two injured.

“So the weight of what’s happening to us in the middle means that’s probably going to happen. 

“We were out on our feet. I was jiggling the team around trying to give us what we needed, but that was pretty tough.

“We have the potential of getting at least one middle back for next week, so that’ll help a lot.

“And then the week after, Joe Philbin comes back. Then the week after is the international break.

“Joe Bullock also isn’t far away.”

Daryl Clark returns early  

Clark, 30, made an early return from injury, having been expected to not be available until Round 10 due to the knee injury sustained against his former club Castleford.

However, the international, who was included in Shaun Wane’s extended 40-man squad this week, returned one week early and came on from the bench to feature in the middles. 

Powell explained: “Clarky (Clark) walked into training the other day and sort of flexed his knee and said ‘yeah, I think I might be able to this, this week’.

“He’s not 100%, but he’s a pretty tough character is Clarky. 

“He looked at the team and saw what we had. If he doesn’t step up, then we’d have had two young middles on the bench and two outside-backs. 

“That’s where we are at the moment. Clarky’s been pretty tough there by stepping out, and he’s come through it okay which is pleasing.”

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