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York City Knights winger Will Oakes set to miss rest of season with groin injury

Winger Will Oakes warms up before York City Knights’ clash with Barrow Raiders. Picture: Craig Hawkhead
Winger Will Oakes warms up before York City Knights’ clash with Barrow Raiders. Picture: Craig Hawkhead

YORK City Knights winger Will Oakes is set to miss the remainder of the season as he continues to battle with a groin injury.

Oakes has been restricted to just nine appearances for York this year following his off-season return to the club from Dewsbury Rams.

The Scotland international has been out amid an osteitis pubis condition and it appears that his 2022 season is over with the Knights.

“I don’t think we’ll see Will for the rest of the season, which is a blow,” York head coach James Ford revealed.

“It’s obvious why we signed Will, he makes an awful lot of metres pre-contact and post-contact, he’s got good ruck speed and leaves markers on the floor.

“We signed him to be our version of Luke Briscoe (at Featherstone) and I think when he’s played, he’s shown he’s quality and he’s still a young man. We do miss him.

“But it’s seen the emergence of AJ (Towse) and Wardy (Brad Ward) is getting better too. While they’re not quite as effective as Will in bringing the ball out in heavy traffic at the minute, they’re getting better.

“This time next year, let’s see where they’re at because we believe in those young men.”

The sixth-placed Knights travel to Oakes’ former club Dewsbury on Sunday (3pm), seeking back-to-back wins following last weekend’s 27-18 success over Newcastle Thunder.

Prop forward Jack Teanby is out with a concussion he suffered against Newcastle, although he should be back for the home clash with Bradford Bulls on Monday, August 15 (7.45pm).

Fellow middle Masi Matongo is awaiting tests results of a scan on his shoulder.

Back-rower Pauli Pauli is back from suspension while second-row Bailey Antrobus is “very close” to a return from his hamstring issue, Ford reported.

Leigh Centurions loanee Ata Hingano is available and could make his York debut on Sunday, although there is stern competition in the halves in Brendan O’Hagan, Liam Harris and Jamie Ellis, with the former two being the preferred pair last time out.