WARRINGTON Wolves' season-long centre problems continue this week ahead of a run of the biggest four games in the club's Super League history.

Richie Mathers, the 18-year-old on loan player who deputised for suspended Ben Westwood at centre against Wigan, was surprisingly recalled by his club Leeds Rhinos on Tuesday.

Head coach Paul Cullen's first choice centre Sid Domic damaged knee ligaments in the defeat to Wigan on Monday and has also been ruled out of the Halifax Blue Sox game at The Shay on Sunday, kick-off 3.30pm.

Warrington play each of their three relegation rivals, starting with Halifax, in the final four games of this season and wins are needed to guarantee their Super League survival.

The Wolves remain second from bottom, one point ahead of Salford City Reds and two points behind Halifax.

It will be Cullen's third match in charge and the Wolves have lost their last five games.

Halifax sacked their coach Steve Linnane after Friday's 64-0 mauling at St. Helens and replaced him with former Hull assistant boss Tony Anderson so it will be his first at the helm when the Wolves visit.

Blue Sox, who have lost their last six matches but all against top seven clubs, are promoting the game as their biggest yet in SL.

Westwood, signed by previous head coach David Plange to ease the club's problem centre area, will be available this weekend after serving his one-match ban from the sending off he received for a high tackle in the loss at Widnes a fortnight ago.

He will be joined in the centre by last week's Academy full back David Alstead.

The club's centre department was hit by the departure of Toa Kohe-Love to Hull at the end of last season and the Wolves have paid for the then performance director Steve Anderson not providing adequate replacement strike power.

A full team of players have been tried in the centres this year. They are David Kidwell, Dale Cardoza, Kevin Crouthers, Steve Maden, Danny Halliwell, Paul Noone, Lee Penny, Leon Felton, Westwood, Burns, Domic, Alstead and most recently Mathers.

Rookie Mathers covered for Westwood in the first team on Monday but because he has been performing well for the Wolves, the Rhinos have recalled him. Although Wolves previously revealed that Mathers had been signed on loan until the end of the season, they did not let it be known it remained Leeds' prerogative to recall him if they required his services.

Leeds are likely to offer Mathers, out of contract at the end of November, a new deal but if Mathers decides he would prefer to join the Wolves permanently then an undisclosed fee for his transfer had been verbally agreed by Plange and Leeds before he came to Wilderspool on loan.

It remains the case that the Wolves want him on a permanent basis and he would have partnered Westwood in the centres this weekend had he not been recalled.

Alstead fits the bill instead and centre is a role which he has confidently handled previously this season.

l Behind the scenes the Wolves are continuing with their recruitment process for any possible attempt to boost squad strength for the remainder of this season.