HUDDERSFIELD Giants are facing a massive injury crisis ahead of Friday's daunting Super League trip to world champions Leeds Rhinos (8.00).
A total of TEN senior members of coach Jon Sharp's 26-man squad are on the treatment table, with SIX of those in action against St Helens on Sunday rated as doubtful for the Headingley clash.
Michael De Vere (groin), Stanley Gene (shoulder), Iain Morrison (ankle), Paul Reilly (hand), Mick Slicker (leg) and Chris Thorman (back) are all suffering after the 36-22 defeat to Saints and face a race against time to prove their fitness.
Their injuries come on top of those which forced Stuart Donlan, James Evans, Jon Grayshon and Hefin O'Hare to miss last weekend's contest.
Donlan (groin) and Evans (thumb) are already ruled out again, while Grayshon (shoulder) and O'Hare (knee) will have last-minute checks.
Furthermore, two more members of Sharp's Super League squad - Stephen Jones and Jason Southwell - are on a month's loan at National League I club Featherstone and can't be considered.
Sharp does, of course, have new signing Ryan Clayton available, and it seems certain he will be handed his debut on Friday.
But even with his new man on board, Sharp admits he could be struggling to raise a side.
"Yesterday was an absolute nightmare," admitted Sharp. "It was a case of one player after another turning up at training and having to go straight for treatment.
"As a result, we ended up on the training field with small numbers, which meant we were very limited in what we could do.
"Hopefully, our medical team can work some miracles and patch the boys up in time to put them back out on the field on Friday night.
"There's going to be some very late calls, but we've got great medical staff here, and I know they will do their best.
"But we're also hampered by the fact we've got a quick turnaround this week from Sunday to Friday.
"This lack of time is something else that's against us. It's going to be a pretty testing week."
