Bulls hooker James Lowes has been heavily fined by coach Matthew Elliott after his abusive attack on referee Stuart Cummings.

His dismissal 25 minutes from time helped Super League title favourites Wigan clinch a vital 28-12 win at Odsal on Friday and put him in danger of a ban which could rule him out of further games including Sunday's visit to struggling Salford.

Added to his growing injury list it is another worry for beleaguered coach Matthew Elliott who blasted: "We have a club mechanism for dealing with things like this and while what has been said is an internal matter, let's just say Jimmy will have less to spend on his shopping this week."

Despite his annoyance with last season's Man of Steel and Super League Player of the Year Elliott is hopeful he will escape a ban especially with his injury crisis having deepened further over the weekend.

As well as losing Brian McDermott (cartilage) and Sonny Nickle (neck) it was revealed yesterday that Andy Hodgson has ankle trouble which leaves him doubtful for the trip to the Willows.

One brighter note is the news that Matt Calland reports progress on his hamstring but Elliott admitted: "There were so few people running at training yesterday it's impossible to say at this stage what the 17 might be."

Shaun Edwards is again a doubt with the sternum injury which kept him out of the clash with his former club and that could open the door for fit again Academy star Paul Deacon who is in training with England for next month's international with Wales at Widnes.

"Paul is certainly in the reckoning this weekend. Of course much depends on the balance of the rest of the side but I would certainly have no worries about him starting the game."

Elliott discussed the current problems, which has seen the side drop to fifth, with his squad yesterday and revealed: "I told them that we had had our full quota of losses for the year already and that if we continued to work as hard as we did on Friday there was no reason to lose another game.

"That statement might raise a few eyebrows but it is my honest belief.

"Recent result have made the next two games - at Salford and at home to Huddersfield - vital to our chances."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.