Huddersfield Giants: club conducting "in-depth assessment" into injury crisis
The depleted Giants' injury count rose to 14 first-team players after a seventh straight Super League defeat on Sunday
Huddersfield head coach Luke Robinson revealed the club is conducting an "in-depth assessment" amid an injury crisis that has derailed their season.
The depleted Giants' injury count rose to 14 first-team players after a seventh straight Super League defeat on Sunday, with their 38-18 loss to Catalans Dragons leaving them bottom of the table.
Tui Lolohea, Harry Rushton, Matty English and George King were all added to Robinson's injury list before Catalans' visit to the John Smith's Stadium.
Two more, Fenton Rogers and on-loan Hull KR hooker Bill Leyland on his debut, were unable to complete the match and face spells on the sidelines after sustaining respective ankle and head injuries.
Robinson said: "What sums it up is Fenton Rogers, after five minutes, looks like he's done his syndesmosis (in his ankle), which looks like that could be months.
"Even the physio's coming to me and saying, 'I hope I'm wrong Robbo, I'm really sorry'.
"Another one that sums it up is Bill Leyland, who we signed on loan. He lasted 20 minutes, got knocked out and failed (his head injury assessment).
"So he's not going to play next week against Leeds. The same happened with Niall Evalds. He played 35 minutes (in March) before breaking his foot.
"We are where we are. I don't want to be a whinger, it happens to everybody, but it's becoming an epidemic at this moment. It's crazy.
"We're doing an in-depth assessment of where we are as a club, what we can change, what we can do to stop these injuries. Some of them are just freaks."
Catalans fell behind to Giants full-back Jacob Gagai's early try, but hit back with first-half scores from Tariq Sims and wing Leo Darrelatour to lead 14-6 at half-time.
Second-half tries from Julian Bousquet, Bayley Sironen, Paul Seguier and Tevita Pangai-Jr kept the visitors in control, while bottom club Huddersfield went down fighting with further scores from centre Jake Bibby and wing Sam Halsall.
Dragons coach Steve McNamara was delighted his side secured their third Super League win of the season and saluted two homegrown players, wing Darrelatour and full-back Guillermo Aispuro-Bichet for their contribution.
Aispuro-Bichet, in for the injured Sam Tomkins, landed seven of his eight kicks at goal, while Darrelatour made a try-scoring Super League debut.
McNamara said: "Leo works in (club owner) Bernard (Guasch's) factory. He starts at half-past four in a morning and we asked for him to train all week.
"But Bernard couldn't afford to let him go so we had him Wednesday and Friday. He's played really well for our reserve grade and come in and scored a try.
"Obviously Guillermo had big shoes to fill in Sam Tomkins' absence, but had a good steady game and kicked all but one of his goals.
"It's great to have those young players in. There's probably another three pushing on the door.
"We have played more of our homegrown talent than any other club this season bar Salford and we're very proud of that."