Swinton Lions have been hit by a severe injury crisis ahead of Sunday’s trip to Barrow in the third round of the Challenge Cup.
The club has revealed they have nine injuries to their squad of 27, leaving them thin on the ground after just five games in the Championship and ahead of their Challenge Cup bow.
They have recorded two important Championship wins so far over Batley and Barrow but the injuries are starting to take effect as they lost 40-0 at home to York on Sunday.
Welsh international, prop forward Gavin Bennion is expected to miss four months of action. He has not featured since their opening round defeat to Newcastle Thunder.
The 29-year-old returned to Heywood Road during the off-season from Rochdale, having represented Wales during the delayed 2021 World Cup in England.
Fellow Welsh half-back Ollie Olds continues to receive treatment, with Swinton hoping to have the 29-year-old back for their fixture with London at the end of March.
Hooker Josh Eaves, who had to give backword on a move to Whitehaven so joined Swinton, and winger Calum Hughes are also looking at returns for the same fixture on March 26
The club aren’t expecting to have former Whitehaven winger Richard Lepori or centre Myles Harrop back until July due to respective injuries.
Swinton say utility Billy Brickhill is “progressing well” with a return set for early April. Back-rower Gavin Rodden, who has suffered injuries against both Batley and Whitehaven, is also targeting April.
Meanwhile, on the plus side, starting hooker Luke Waterworth is expected to be back for their Challenge Cup round three tie at Barrow on Sunday.
Barrow coach Paul Crarey will play down Swinton’s injury concerns and instead focus on his own side’s performance.
An 18-18 draw with Newcastle Thunder on Sunday was their first point of the season and they stay bottom of the Championship.
In a hard-fought match, Thunder came from behind three times to ensure they left with a point, despite the Raiders’ best efforts to earn their first victory of the season.
Crarey has said: “I thought we played really well in that first 30 minutes. There’s some stuff we did that was very good, but some stuff we’re doing is really costing us.
“We threw the ball into touch on play one from the scrum, we kicked the ball on play two in the 20. That’s the stuff that’s getting us, and once we tidy that up, we’ll be good.”
Crarey also has his own injuries to worry about ahead of the Challenge Cup-tie.
“We’ve just got to keep chipping away at it. We’re losing bodies – we lost Jarrod Stack against Newcastle and Luke Cresswell can’t play on Sunday. But the fans stayed behind us, and in the last 5/10 minutes it was electric in the ground.
“It was intense and had everything, and we just couldn’t come out on the right side of the result.”
