Director of Rugby Dean Ryan has revealed lock James Percival is set for an enforced spell on the sidelines after undergoing surgery on an injured bicep.
Percival, who has played 51 games for Warriors, picked up the injury in pre-season training and has now started rehabilitation that could see him miss the opening weeks of the new campaign.
“James has torn a bicep in training which is really disappointing,” said Ryan. “He will be out for a number of weeks. It’s not about putting a date on it, but it will be a considerable amount of time.
“He is a loss when he is desperate to make an impression on a new coaching group. I’m really disappointed for him, but it creates an opportunity for others.
“Harry Casson comes in, a young lad who not a lot of people would have known. That is the nature of the squad we are trying to develop. We will get injuries and some of our best players will get injured. We have got to rely on that next group of lads.”