BEN ROARTY is the latest Giants player to be ruled out for the rest of the season.

The rugged Aussie forward sustained a rib cartilage injury early on during Sunday's 24-18 Super League defeat at Widnes.

And scans have showed the extent of the damage means a likely six-week recovery period.

It's yet another blow for coach Jon Sharp, who last week learned he would have to do without props Mick Slicker (thumb) and Eorl Crabtree (leg abscess) as he bids to get Huddersfield's fading play-off bid back on track.

Huddersfield have four matches in which to overhaul Wakefield, who occupy the sixth and final play-of berth with an advantage of two league points and a points difference of plus 79 to the Giants' minus 210.

The pair clash head-on in the penultimate match of the season at the Atlantic Solutions Stadium (formerly Belle Vue) on Sunday, September 12.

But before that, Huddersfield have testing clashes away to fifth-placed St Helens tomorrow (8.00) and at home to second-placed Hull on Saturday, September 4 (3.00).

Knowsley Road is the focus, and having had only 16 fully-fit senior players for the Widnes game, Sharp reckons he is down to 14 for Saints, where he was assistant coach to Ian Millward until the close-season.

"Obviously Ben is now out, which is huge setback," he said.

"Chris Nero (chin and leg) and Paul Reilly (ankle) missed Widnes, and while they are making progress, they still aren't 100%, although we may be forced to bring them back.

"Stuart Jones played against Widnes despite a nasty bout of illness, which has taken its toll on him physically.

"And Brandon Costin, James Evans and Iain Morrison all picked up knocks which have left them in the treatment room."