WOLVES star Ben Currie is handling his season-ending injury with “extreme maturity”, boss Tony Smith says.

The 22-year-old second rower damaged his knee in the act of scoring his 21st try of the season against Wigan on Friday.

Scans showed a tear in his anterior cruciate ligament and he is expected to be out for up to nine months, but Smith says he is not feeling sorry for himself.

“He went for a graft on Wednesday afternoon as he tore the ligament off the bone. His quickest recovery time would be six months but wisest would be nine months,” he said.

“He was very down for the first day or so but he’s a mature young man. He understands that these are some of the risks of being a professional rugby league player and they come along from time to time.

“As he has for the rest of his career, Ben’s handling it with extreme maturity. He’s had some disappointment but he doesn’t sit around feeling sorry for himself.

“It comes at a time when he was pushing for selection for his country as well as honours with his club. He’s had a terrific year but he’s handled it with class.”

Currie has enjoyed another stellar season, leading the Wolves try-scoring charts once again and catapulting himself into England contention.

He will also miss out on the chance to help Wolves bid to complete their first league title success since 1955 but Smith says it is important the team moves on.

“We’d love to have him in there but this is professional sport,” he said.

“We can’t dwell on what we haven’t got, we have to focus on what we have.

“It’s a blow for Ben personally and us as a team but they are the challenges you have every year.”

Smith said mercurial scrum-half Chris Sandow and prop Ryan Bailey are being assessed ahead of next week’s semi finals.

He also confirmed Kurt Gidley had been playing with a fractured eye socket picked up in the Challenge Cup Final but a hamstring strain will keep him out this week.

“Injuries are part and parcel of our game but Chris is coming along well,” he said.

“It’s a grade-two medial strain which you can’t rush but he’s doing a good job.

“Kurt did have a very minor crack in his eye socket after Wembley but the specialist cleared him to play.”