WOLVES head into Saturday’s Challenge Cup tie against Oldham without the services of 15 players, giving head coach Tony Smith several selection headaches.

Back rower Jack Hughes, centre Ryan Atkins, forward Ben Westwood and full back Matt Russell are the latest to join the casualty list following Thursday’s biggest win against Wigan since 1957.

Hughes is set for eight weeks out with a broken bone in his hand, while Atkins ruptured a ligament in a finger which may require surgery.

Ben Westwood and Matty Russell are both nursing ankle issues and the decision has been taken not to risk them this week, although it had been in the planning earlier this week for them to feature with the benefit of cortisone injections.

They join Jack Johnson (wrist), Dec Patton (knee) and Chris Sandow (hamstring) as recent additions to the Wolves treatment room.

Mitch Dodds, James Laithwaite (both broken leg), Ben Evans (hamstring), Brad Dwyer (ankle), Ryan Bailey (Achilles), Toby King (pectoral), Gary Wheeler (Achilles) and Ben Harrison (knee and shoulder) are all on the sidelines.

Tom Lineham will also sit out the Oldham game if he fails to come through a concussion test, although he has been named in the 19-man squad.

With the squad down to the bare bones, 18-year-old half back Morgan Smith will make his first-team debut on Saturday and there is further potential of debuts being handed to 20-year-old props Joe Ryan (Rylands Sharks junior) and Daniel Murray (Orrell St James) - who are also named in Smith's preparation 19.

“Morgan will make his debut on Saturday as a reward for his performances in the youth team and reserves,” Smith said of the England Academy international, who joined Wolves’ ranks from Leeds Rhinos in 2014.

“It’s a good opportunity for him to show the players and fans what he can do at first-grade level.”

Smith conceded the injury toll is a worry but added that a few of his stricken stars are nearing comebacks.

Influential scrum half Sandow has stepped up his recovery from a hamstring tear, while Smith said a number of other players were also close to returning.

“Chrissy’s resumed running this week and he’s running well,” said Smith.

“He had his four-week scan last week and it showed the ligaments and muscles are repairing nicely.

“He’s still some weeks away from returning to play so we don’t want to go too fast too soon with him.

“Ben Evans won’t be available this week but he will probably be okay for next week. He took a bit of a knock playing for Rochdale a few weeks ago so it’s set him back a few weeks.

“Ryan Bailey, Toby King and Brad Dwyer are getting there, it will only be a couple more weeks until they are back playing again.

“It is a huge injury list but we’ve got a few returns on the horizon so hopefully the situation will ease in the coming weeks.”

Wolves 19-man squad: ​9 Daryl Clark; 32 Jordan Cox; 11 Ben Currie; 3 Rhys Evans; 1 Kurt Gidley; 8 Chris Hill; 29 Benjamin Jullien; 18 George King; 2 Tom Lineham; 34 Daniel Murray; 22 Gene Ormsby; 20 Kevin Penny; 25 Joe Philbin; 6 Stefan Ratchford; 35 Joe Ryan; 10 Ashton Sims; 31 Morgan Smith; 14 Joe Westerman; 27 Sam Wilde.