Lawrence ruled out at least two games
Michael Lawrence has been ruled out for at least two play-off matches while (inset) Seb Ikahihifo won’t play again this season after an ankle operation
“Michael Lawrence will be missing for two or three games, but we’ve had some good news in that he doesn’t require any surgery,” said Woolford, who has new signing Suaia Matagi, from Parramatta Eels, available for the first time.
“So it will be a matter of him going through the rehab process now and, hopefully, maybe two games and the aim is for him to be right after that, but we’ll wait and see how his progress goes.
“Suaia Matagi is here now and he will slot into Bruno’s place and, apart from that, I think we are looking pretty good.”
Woolford revealed Seb Ikahihifo has had an operation on his injured ankle and won’t play again this season, while Aaron Murphy will also miss out against Saints.
“Aaron Murphy is touch and go, he won’t play this week but he should be okay for the week after,” said the head coach, bidding to make up a six-point gap on the top four.
“Ollie Roberts has had a week off, so he’s passed all the head protocol and concussion tests now, so he will take his place in the back row in Murph’s place.
“Sebastian had to have an op on the ankle which has put him out, and it is a blow because he carries the ball really strongly and he is a big body for us. But having Matagi coming in now helps us out a little bit there, and we do have quite a bit of depth in the middle forwards at the moment, which is good.
“So while Seb is a loss, I’m confident we’ve got the guys to cover him.”
Woolford added the timing of Matagi’s arrival from Australia couldn’t be better.
“Suaia has fitted in really well,” said the boss.
“He trained with the team for the first time on Saturday and then he’s had two really good sessions on Monday and Tuesday and he doesn’t look out of place at all, so he is a big positive for our team.” HUDDERSFIELD Giants may well face Morgan Knowles when they kick off their Super 8s campaign at leaders St Helens on Friday night.
The Saints forward has avoided further punishment for a high tackle in his team’s shock 35-16 Ladbrokes Challenge Cup semi-final defeat by Catalans Dragons.
The Welsh international was sin-binned for the tackle on Catalans forward Kenny Edwards six minutes before half-time at Bolton on Sunday and has been told by the Rugby Football League’s match review panel that the yellow card was sufficient punishment.
It means Knowles will be available for Saints’ clash with the Giants at the Totally Wicked Stadium. ■■Warrington’s former England centre Ryan Atkins is involved in a race against time to be fit for the Ladbrokes Challenge Cup final.
The 32-year-old had surgery to re-attach his bicep tendon after suffering a tear in the Wolves’ Super League victory at his old club Wakefield in the middle of June.
Atkins, who was in the Warrington team that won the Cup in 2010 and 2012, has resumed light training and, according to coach Steve Price, is pushing hard to get back in time for the Wembley showdown with Catalans Dragons on August 25.
“It’s a 10 to 12-week injury but he’s a quick healer so he could hopefully be back before then,” Price said.
“He’s a week-to-week proposition. I think he sees the surgeon shortly and he’s been running around with the boys today and doing a fair bit of conditioning with weights.”