NEW Giants arrival Lee Mossop, right, must sit out Sunday’s Carnegie Challenge Cup quarter-final home clash against Castleford Tigers.
The 20-year-old back-rower made a quality impact on his debut in last weekend’s 54-6 thrashing of Wakefield following his loan move from Wigan Warriors.
But Mossop’s only senior Wigan appearance this season came in the 32-20 Challenge Cup fourth-round win at leading Championship club Barrow Raiders, which obviously means he is Cup-tied.
Meanwhile, Wigan have a disciplinary worry hanging over prop forward Stuart Fielden for Friday’s Carnegie Challenge Cup quarter-final with Salford.
The former Great Britain international has been ordered to appear before the Rugby Football League’s disciplinary panel later today on two separate charges arising from the Warriors’ 16-8 Super League defeat at Warrington last Friday.
Fielden, who has missed just one of Wigan’s 16 League and Cup matches so far this year, has been accused of raising his knee going into a tackle.
He has also been charged with using foul and abusive language to match referee Ben Thaler.
Wigan are making plans to fly stand-off Tim Smith back from Australia, where he is currently on compassionate leave, but are unsure whether he will arrive in time to play at the JJB Stadium.
Coach Brian Noble is more confident of having the services of centre George Carmont and second rower Phil Bailey, who both missed the Warrington game through injury.
Salford will be without winger Darrell Goulding, who is on loan from Wigan and Cup-tied, but the return to fitness of New Zealand scrum half Jeremy Smith and Australian prop Craig Stapleton means coach Shaun McRae can select from an otherwise full-strength squad.
“Both Stapo and Jeremy Smith will be available and come into the squad, but it’s far too early to say who will be play at this stage,” said McRae.
Salford, who have won their last three matches, knocked Wigan out of the Cup in 1996 and 2006.
The City Reds go into the clash with their confidence high after two highly impressive Super League wins.
They followed up the 24-4 win at the Giants with a home triumph over Bradford Bulls.
