SAINTS will be without centre Mark Percival for between eight to 10 weeks.

Specialists have got to the bottom of his injury that has plagued him since the restart.

And coach Kristian Woolf confirmed that the England centre needed surgery - but is confident that will sort the problem.

Woolf said: "Unfortunately he is going to be out for an extended period, somewhere in the vicinity of eight to 10 weeks.

"There are a couple of issues there and he will be back to full running at the end of that period, once we get through that there should be no more dramas.

"They have found something they think they can repair so there is some surgery.

"That will speed up the recovery and rehab time and put him in a much stronger position so we don't have those problems any further."

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The Grand Final is on November 28, eight weeks away, so a tight timescale for Percival.

In his place Josh Simm will continue where he left off, starting with Tuesday's game against Wigan.

READ: Woolf's thoughts on Josh Simm>