St Helens boss Ian Millward admits the loss of Sean Long for the rest of the season is a huge blow to his side's Super League ambitions.

Long suffered cruciate knee ligament damage at Huddersfield Giants on Mon-day, while half-back partner in crime Tommy Martyn is still six weeks short of fitness after a hernia operation.

"You don't replace Sean Long because he's one of the best half-backs in the world," he said. "But we have to get on and win some games - it's a loss, but it's not the end of our world."

Towering forward Wayne McDonald is another long-term casualty with a broken jaw, raising doubts as to whether Saints have the depth to match the likes of the Bulls and Wigan.

But Millward has issued a rallying call to the squad as they prepare for tomorrow's crunch clash with the Bulls.

"There is no use complaining - when you have injuries you have to get on with the task.

"We've got quite a few players on the injured list at the moment. We have a small squad, but that is something you run the gauntlet on a little bit. We still have a lot of quality around. We still have to turn up and win games, you've got to challenge people more. It's a fact of life - not everyone is in a position to have a big squad."

Millward has looked around for replacements, but will use loose forward Paul Sculthorpe and 'Mr Versatile' - full back Paul Wellens - for the rest of the season, although Keiron Cunningham and Mick High-am have been mentioned as potential options.

Millward said: "I've spent some time racking my brain to see if there's anyone available, but there's no-one in Britain - except youngsters who will cost us big in the transfer market, and anyone any good in Australia is tied up."

There was relief for Mill-ward when Aussie prop David Fairleigh was cleared to play following an appearance before the disciplinary committee in midweek.

A danger for the Bulls once again will be former Odsal favourite Paul Newlove, whose two tries at Hudders-field on Monday put him into the top two all-time try-scorers in British club and representative rugby.

He now has 328 tries - 122 for Featherstone, 66 for Bulls and 116 for Saints, plus 24 in representative games.