Matt Dufty injury latest as Burgess confirms his full-back replacement
SAM Burgess has provided a further update on Matt Dufty's fitness, with Warrington Wolves set for a spell without their influential full-back.
And while the exact amount of time he will spend on the sidelines remains unclear, Burgess has ruled Dufty out of at least the next two Super League matches, starting with Saturday's trip to Leeds Rhinos.
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The Australian is waiting to have surgery having fractured his left eye socket during Saturday's Challenge Cup Final following a head-on-head collision with Hull KR forward James Batchelor.
Dufty is treated on the field at Wembley (Image: Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com) Having initially attempted to play on, Dufty eventually succumbed in the final 10 minutes before the Robins went on to snatch victory in the dying seconds to break Warrington's hearts.
He is the second Wire player to suffer a fractured eye socket in recent weeks after scrum-half Marc Sneyd did so during the Round Nine victory over St Helens.
Sneyd returned just 16 days later in time for the Challenge Cup semi-final victory over Leigh Leopards, but Burgess hinted Dufty may be out for a longer period.
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'We don't know exactly as he hasn't had his surgery yet – there's too much swelling at the moment,' he said.
'He'll be going in at the end of the week.
'It'll be similar to what Marc Sneyd's was and that was two or three weeks.
'We obviously pushed Marc – and he pushed himself – for the semi-final and we're not in that situation anymore, but we'll see how Duff pulls up early next week.
'He's not going to be playing for at least two weeks.'
Sam Burgess confirms Matt Dufty full-back replacement
With young full-back Cai Taylor-Wray also absent with a torn hamstring, Burgess all but confirmed Stefan Ratchford would deputise for Dufty in what will be his first start at full-back since July 2022.
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The veteran came off the bench to replace Dufty at Wembley and Burgess said simply slotting him in 'makes a bit of sense.'
'Stef's played there before and has filled a number of roles for us, so it looks that way,' he said.
'We've got a few things we want to have a look at over the next few days but it probably makes a bit of sense.
'He's such a valuable bloke and he's played pretty much everywhere – he's told me he's not played front-row so I'm not sure I'm going to put him there!
'Keeping him on this year was a big decision, but we thought he could add some value and I think he's played around 75 per cent of our games this year.
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'He's filled a number of roles and has done a good job, so he's great to have around.'
More than half of Stefan Ratchford's 351 Wire appearances have come at full-back, but his last start at number one came back in July 2022 (Image: Paul Currie/SWpix.com)
Warrington Wolves post-Wembley injury news
Burgess confirmed Dufty was Warrington's only fresh injury concern ahead of the Round 14 trip to Headingley.
Skipper George Williams, centre Toby King and forwards Lachlan Fitzgibbon and Jordy Crowther all returned from injury for the cup final and all are likely to feature against Brad Arthur's side.
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'They all came through the game okay so touch wood, if their week goes okay they should all be lining up this week,' Burgess said.
'In terms of new injuries, it's just Duff – there's a few bumps and bruises but everybody should make the game.'
Having pushed himself to return early from ankle surgery for the game, George Williams has emerged from the Challenge Cup Final unscathed (Image: Richard Sellers/PA Wire) Along with Dufty and Taylor-Wray, Warrington will still be without long-term absentees Danny Walker, Matty Ashton, Oli Leyland (all knee) and Leon Hayes (ankle) for the trip to Headingley.
Walker and Hayes are still several weeks away from being back in contention, while Ashton and Leyland will both miss the remainder of 2025.
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