KEVIN BROWN is facing up to six weeks on the sidelines.
Scans have revealed the Giants captain ruptured ligaments in his right knee during the opening stages of his side’s shock 36-0 Super League XVI defeat at Bradford Bulls on Sunday.
The 26-year-old stand-off has been told it’ll be four weeks at the earliest before he can return to competitive duty.
It means he’ll definitely miss Sunday’s massive Carnegie Challenge quarter-final tie at Castleford (3.30), the Giants’ home clash against Hull KR the following Saturday which marks their return to the Galpharm Stadium after the relaying of a new pitch and a potential Cup semi-final should his side beat the Tigers.
But even if Brown is back ahead of schedule, he has admitted the news couldn’t have come at a worse possible time.
“We’ve got some massive games coming up, and to be missing them is really tough to take,” said Brown, who has been ruled out just as half-back partner Danny Brough returned to the fray after a five-match ankle injury lay-off.
“For a start, there’s the Challenge Cup tie at Cas this weekend.
“The Cup is steeped in tradition and just the thought of missing the quarter-final is a massive blow.
“I suppose the only consolation is that it could have been a lot worse.
“As soon as I picked up the injury I knew I’d done some damage. As well as feeling the pain, I heard a ‘pop’, which is what happened when I injured the knee in the 2009 Cup final. Fortunately, it’s nowhere near as bad.”
