THERE is a mixed bag on the injury front with Saints likely to lose second row Matt Whitley for a short spell with a shoulder injury.

The new recruit from Catalans Dragons went off with a shoulder injury in the first half of last Saturday’s defeat at Hull KR – and Saints are resigned to losing him for a least the next couple of weeks.

There is also a doubt over loose forward Morgan Knowles with a groin issue, but wing Tommy Makinson is free to return after his bout of chicken pox.

Coach Paul Wellens said: “Matt is going to see a shoulder specialist this afternoon and we will get more information later today.

“He is definitely not going to be playing for the next couple of weeks but we are hoping that it is an injury that is a non-surgical case, which would mean rehabbing it and strengthening the shoulder to come back.”

Whitley has forced his way into a starting role in a competitive second row, but this has coincided with second rowers Sione Mata’utia and Curtis Sironen playing much more of a middle role.

Wellens added: “Matt has had a great start to life at the club – he’s a brilliant lad who has settled in well and will be disappointed to be missing a few weeks.

“But he will have to get his around that and do the necessary to perform when the injury has healed.”

Another potential pack absentee in Morgan Knowles, who was cleared of any wrong doing by the Match Review Panel after his yellow card last week.

But he has a groin issue that has stopped him from training.

Wellens said: “Morgan has not trained today. He is a bit sore with his groin so we will have to monitor that situation.

“We are hoping he is going to be ok but we are not in a position to make a call at this moment in time.”

Wellens also explained that experienced wingman Makinson is back training and looks set to play at Castleford.

“Tommy was never feeling ill throughout the whole episode, but given he had spots all over his body he had to stay away,” Wellens said.

“He has come back into training with some fresh energy about him – and he’s obviously a valuable player for us and is more than likely going to come into the team this week.”