SAINTS will not be panic buying if the injuries to Jonny Lomax and Mark Percival prove to be long term ones.

The pair went for scans earlier in the week on leg injuries sustained at Wakefield.

Although the first team squad is not overly blessed with options in the outside backs, salary cap constraints stop Saints from bringing anyone else in to cover.

At the moment, there is no issue with Paul Wellens able to revert to full back in place of Lomax and Grand Final winner Josh Jones coming in for Percival.

They also have the reliable Matty Dawson in reserve to cover the flank spots.

But any further injury blows could stretch them even thinner in that department - however coach Keiron Cunningham has faith in the club's youth.

Cunningham said: "We were pretty thin there before we kicked a ball and that is something we were aware of, but our hands are tied salary cap wise. Hopefully things will be different next year."

He ruled out adjusting his squad by, for example, releasing a surplus forward to be able to bring in a back - and said the answer would lie within if further problems struck.

He said: "I have got some good juniors and would not look past my 19s if that was the case.

"I believe in promoting from within and got a lot of good kids who I have been watching closely- although I believe it is too soon for them.

"But nevertheless I would rather keep what I have got, bring people up, rather than offload players to bring in someone from outside our system who need a lot of work.

"Young Jack Ashworth will hold his hand up and play comfortably in the first team, you saw what he did in the friendly at the start of the year.

"He is a big lad, and would like to think he had a bright future here. His work ethic is great and he wants to learn every day and work hard.

"There are a lot of those juniors – like Jake Spedding and Ricky Bailey, a full back who can play wing as well. There are plenty of avenues to explore.

"Look at the two good Welsh kids – Calvin Wellington and Regan Grace – I’d like to think they could pull a first team jersey on one day and do Wales proud in St Helens.

"We are comfortable – we are not panicking."