Key starter sidelined again and the clock starts ticking on St Helens’ season. In a fresh setback for the club, head coach Paul Rowley confirmed that a further top player has joined the long-term injury list, compounding an already challenging spell for St Helens.
Prop forward Alex Walmsley is the latest name added to an ever-growing casualty list that includes Matty Lees (knee), Jack Welsby (shoulder) and Jonny Lomax (wrist). Walmsley picked up a foot injury during the warm-up ahead of Saints’ victory over Catalans Dragons and chose to push through, even admitting he was effectively “playing on one leg” at times. While an initial post-match update suggested he had managed the strain, Rowley clarified to the media on Tuesday that Walmsley’s foot injury will sideline him for a substantial period.
No exact timetable was given at the time, but the club subsequently announced an estimated recovery window of approximately six weeks. Rowley added that Walmsley won’t require surgery, emphasizing that the healing period will primarily involve rest and rehabilitation rather than operative intervention.
Discussing the situation, Rowley said: “We’ve probably lost Alex Walmsley now, so we’ll get more feedback on that, but he won’t be available this week. It won’t be a surgery job. It’ll be just time.”
Further details revealed that Walmsley will need to wear a protective boot for a period due to the foot damage. Rowley lightened the mood a bit, noting Walmsley’s physique and adding a touch of humor: “It’s not like he’s the nimblest of little fellas, is he? So, if he’s got a foot injury, there’s a bit of weight going through it, and so we’ve just got to be careful with that one.”
With Lees and Walmsley out, Saints now face a shortage of two starting props. Yet Rowley highlighted Walmsley’s performance in the most recent match against Catalans, praising his bravery and determination to gut through pain so the team could win.
There’s a potential boost on the horizon from Noah Stephens, who has been managing an injury of his own. Rowley explained that Stephens was included in the 21-man squad but unavailable due to his lingering issue. He said Stephens has been close to returning, and the club is monitoring progress over the coming days.
Other near-misses include Jake Wingfield and prop Val Percival, who remain in limbo as selection decisions approach. Rowley described the ongoing balancing act between risk and reward, noting previous injuries Wingfield has faced and the need to proceed cautiously. As for Percival, the forward is back in training with the full squad, and although match fitness will guide decisions, he’s clearly not far from a return.
On a positive note, Rowley confirmed an otherwise clean bill of health, with Nene MacDonald’s earlier substitution attributed to routine game management rather than any lingering injury.
In summary, St Helens must navigate a six-week-plus spell without Walmsley, while leveraging the available squad depth and upcoming returns to bridge the gap. The coming weeks will test Rowley’s rotation strategy and the team’s resilience as they push through a demanding period of fixtures.
