TONY Smith would challenge his Super League rivals to cope with a mounting injury list the way his Warrington Wolves squad have this season.

Wolves were missing nine players during a win at Salford on Friday; Joel Monaghan, Matty Russell, Anthony England, Rhys and Ben Evans, Joe Philbin, Toby King, Gary Wheeler and Simon Grix.

They also lost Richie Myler and Ben Harrison to head injuries, while vice-skipper Chris Hill played on with an ankle injury, but Smith is confident Warrington are coping with their adversities.

“I would challenge most clubs to have nine injuries, who you could argue would be in your starting team or close to the starting team, week in, week out,” said Wolves’ head of coaching and rugby.

“We still put out a very competitive team. It’s a fair hit for us at the moment and we’re coping reasonably well.

“So when people are asking about our season and why we probably aren’t ripping it up in the manner we’d love to, you’ve got to take into account the six, seven, eight, nine injuries we have each week.”

Smith says triumphing when the going gets tough is not something traditionally attributed to Wolves.

“There are some things changing here, some of the attitudes and the culture that has been within the club for many years,” he added.

“We’re always very good when we’re out in front, but not in times gone by when it’s got a bit tough.

“We’ve had a lot of things not go our way this year so we have had to dig deep and find some of that resilience within the group.

“We have got to dig in as a group and make sure we get the most that we can out of this season and protect each other. Hopefully become stronger for some of the adversities in recent times.”

However Smith hopes Monaghan, hip flexor, and England, flu, will be available for Sunday’s  Magic Weekend clash with St Helens, along with Harrison, Myler and Hill.

“Joel’s training well and responding well to treatment,” explained Smith. “Initially we thought it was a two or three week issue, but hopefully he’ll be back in for this week.

“Ben should be fine for this weekend and so should Rich Myler. We’ll see how Chris responds to treatment. He’s got some damage there but we’re not totally sure of the extent.

“We’ll go up on Saturday, train at The Halliwell around lunchtime and then jump on the bus to arrive Saturday evening and settle in.”

Wheeler, Russell, Philbin and Toby King are all hoping to be back within a month, Rhys Evans is six weeks away while Ben Evans and Grix remain longer-term absentees.

“We wouldn’t have put him back on unless he was able and capable and also willing to. He was heavily strapped and fine to keep going.

“It’s when you cool down later on that sometimes the swelling kicks in and all those sorts of issues, but he was quite mobile on the park.”

Harrison was taken to hospital after his head knock on Friday.

“They didn’t admit him over night but gave him a CT scan just to make sure,” said Smith. “He took a head knock and his eyes were dilated, not responding in the ways that they should.

“The medical staff were outstanding. Ben Sterling took him to hospital and got him a CT scan, got him cleared that night and he went home to sleep.

“We weren’t going to let him go home without being 100 per cent certain.

“Anthony England pulled out with illness, he had the flu pretty badly or he would have been in the team.

“Ben Evans has responded really well. We thought his season might be over, but we think we’ll get him back before that – after having his hamstring detached, basically, he’s come along really well.

“Rhys is probably about five to six weeks, which is good news. Grixy is still battling along and going to be a little longer than that – he’s probably still our longest term, he and Ben.

“Gaz Wheeler is probably about three to four weeks along with Matty Russell and Toby.

“Joe Philbin’s got a quad tear and will be two to three weeks. With Joel and England I think we had nine this week.”