John's injury could wipe out his season (From Warrington Guardian)

John's injury could wipe out his season

SAINTS' England A packman John Stankevitch is struggling to recover from the terrible shoulder injury he picked up in the final game of last season, writes Mike Critchley.

And this week coach Ian Millward warned that the 24-year-old second rower's damaged shoulder, sustained when he attempted to tackle Wigan's Kiwi prop Craig Smith, is turning into a career threatening injury.

Millward said: "The news on Stankevitch just gets worse and worse. He has now been told that he going to have to wait another two months on another assessment. The surgeon says he has lost the nerve in his arm.

"I just hope he plays the game again. I think he will because John will take risks to do what he loves doing."

Saints' casualty list was added to on Sunday when young utility forward Mike Bennett was carried off with a knee injury, which required an operation earlier this week.

Bennett will be out for eight weeks and Millward said: "It is a shame because he has started the season really well and if you look at young guys in the game, I reckon he was one who you would consider for an international call up at the end of the year. That is a big blow to us."

Already this season Saints have lost new prop forward recruit Ricky Bibey, who turned his ankle in training.

The 22-year-old former Wigan prop is expected to be missing for a further five weeks.

On top of that Saints squad is still short of back rower Tim Jonkers, who is recovering from a major knee reconstruction.

The Dutch-born tackling machine is due to become available for selection again by the middle of May. But according to Saints' coach, there is one silver lining.

"We have so many good kids here and we will give them an opportunity. That is what the game is all about. James Graham and John Wilkin will be knocking on that door," said Millward

l 0 Former Saints player Walter Norris died this week after illness, aged 84. Walter, who joined St Helens from Warrington in 1946, made 96 appearances for the Knowsley Road club before finishing his career in the 1949/50 season.