Doncaster hooker Kyle Kesik is unlikely to play again this season after breaking a bone in his hand in Sunday’s win over Workington Town.
Kesik had an operation to have the broken bone pinned yesterday after an X-ray on Sunday evening revealed the fracture.
“We’ll have to wait and see what happens but at this stage of the season it is probably looking like he won’t play again this year,” said player coach Paul Cooke yesterday.
An X-ray on second-rower Mike Kelly’s foot showed no fracture but it is believed that he suffered some ligament damage.
“We’ll be assessing the extent of the damage tonight,” said Cooke.
Kelly only returned to action ten days ago after six weeks on the sidelines with a foot ligament problem and the club doctor said it was possible the two injuries were related.
To add to the club’s problems in trying to retain their top four spot, the Dons find themselves up before an independent operational rules tribunal on Thursday over charges that they were in breach of the dual registration rules when they played Hull FC centre Ben Crooks in the defeat at Keighley late last month.
Apart from chief executive Carl Hall telling The Star last week that the club were liaising with the RFL, the club have made no public comment over the issue, which could see them fined or docked points if found guilty of the offence.
However, chairman John Scarrow used his column in the club programme at the weekend to raise the issue.
“Very specifically the Dons have not made a public response to the accusations,” he said.
But he pledged: “We will definitely defend our position in a very correct, rational, and robust manner.”
Speaking generally about the system, he said: “I really hope that next season we shall see the dual registration rules tightened with stricter limits in place.”