SAINTS have been dealt another massive injury blow with on-song packman Joe Greenwood sidelined for four months with a broken lower leg.

Frustratingly, the 22-year-old back-rower, who has caught the eye with his dynamic running lines and relentless workrate this term, had returned to action on Good Friday early after popping his elbow out two weeks earlier.

However, there may be good news on the horizon ahead of Sunday’s trip to Huddersfield with key men Jon Wilkin, Travis Burns and Luke Walsh all possible returnees.

Greenwood joins Atelea Vea — the team’s other in-form back-rower — on the sidelines with the powerful Tongan ruled out with a damaged shoulder sustained at Hull KR.

Coach Keiron Cunningham was understandably disappointed that the injury curse which has plagued the club for the best part of four seasons, shows no sign of abating.

Cunningham said: “Joe has broken his leg and is gone for four months. He was due to go in for surgery on Tuesday and will basically be back in action at the same time as Tils (Atelea Vea).

“Both of my strike back rowers were going so well and now we have lost them in a blink of an eye.

“The kid has worked really hard over the last two years and he has got to the point where he was making a really good name for himself, and was in everyone’s eye-line and deserved that.

“He is a strong enough player and who will come back and will come back well.” In a pattern depressingly familiar to previous campaigns, injuries have bitten Saints deeply and they went into Monday’s game without eight first choice players – Jonny Lomax, Burns, Walsh, Vea, Wilkin, Mark Percival and Paul Wellens also out of action.

“You just wonder as a club what we can do to try and keep people fit.

“Nothing can be done medically or with training to stop contact injuries – and they are the ones we keep getting,” Cunningham said.

“I was hoping I would have some influence on turning that luck around, but it has really cost us again, especially having no half backs for the Easter.”

However, there is light at the end of the tunnel and there are high hopes that Sunday could see Walsh’s first appearance since breaking his leg last July.

“We will see how Luke goes in training this week, but I’d like to think he has a good chance.

“If he does, then he won’t be starting the game. There is a chance that we may get Walsh, Wilko and Travis Burns back in the side this weekend which would give us a massive lift.”

Burns fractured his cheekbone at Hull KR two weeks ago and although doctors said he had a chance of playing against Wigan, Cunningham was not prepared to risk it.

“If it had been displaced and needed surgery he would have been gone for another six weeks.

“It is two weeks since the incident so the healing process is well on. Faces do heal quickly and it generally takes four to five weeks for a full heal. If we get through this week then we are flying.

“I tried to make a sensible, not emotional decision on that.

“We lost Wilko on captain’s run ahead of the Wigan game. Potentially we could have played him, but had he then ruptured his hamstring we would have then lost another key player for eight weeks.

“Our hand was forced and we had to run with what we did.

“We did not do too badly and nearly got the money, but we will be better again this weekend.”