ADAM Neal, the Oldham prop, could be out for several weeks because of the concussion he suffered in the home win against Keighley Cougars on April 15.
He has already missed two games — against Hull KR in the Challenge Cup and at Workington in Betfred League 1 — and he was warned he may have to sit out a few more when he saw a specialist on Monday.
Said head coach Scott Naylor:
“It’s not good news, I’m afraid. Adam has to undergo more tests and it’s looking like he might be out for a bit.
“As for how long, we’ve no idea. It might be one week, four weeks or even eight weeks. We just don’t know.”
He will definitely miss Sunday’s clash with fifth-placed Newcastle Thunder at the Vestacare Stadium (3pm kick-off) but after that everything will hinge on the results of his tests and the RFL’s back-to-play protocol for players with head injuries.
The tackle in which he was injured was put on report, but the RFL’s match review panel concluded there was no case to answer although there may have been an accidental clash of heads.
A few players picked up knocks and bruises in a physical battle at Workington, but Naylor said everyone would be available for selection at weekend.
On Newcastle, he said:
“They’re doing well. They’re higher than us in the league table and it’s no fluke that they ran Doncaster close, played well against York and beat Hunslet comfortably.
“They’re in confident mood and I like how they play. It will be tough for us, coming off the back of a hard game in Cumbria, but we have to make sure we win our home games.”
After the Newcastle game, Roughyeds play the division’s bottom two — Hemel Stags at home on Sunday, May 13 and West Wales Raiders away on Saturday, May 19, both with 3pm starts.
