VIKINGS have been dealt a double injury blow ahead of Friday’s derby at home to St Helens.

Skipper Kevin Brown and big-hitting packman Hep Cahill are both sidelined for the visit of the unbeaten reigning Super League champions after picking up injuries in the defeat at Huddersfield.

The influential stand off Brown has strained his hamstring and will miss the next four weeks, with Cahill out for a longer spell with a dislocated shoulder.

Head coach Denis Betts revealed that another couple of players may also be a doubt after picking up knocks – but would look at those in training during the course of the week.

Cahill’s knock is a bitter blow, particularly as it was sustained in the last tackle play in the game where he slipped and Leroy Cudjoe landed on him, dislocating his shoulder – just as the hooter was sounding.

Betts said: “I can’t say how long he will be out for – but it will be more than a month. It will be a massive loss to us.

“But that is where Macgraff Leuluai sits now and having Danny Tickle, Chris Clarkson and Danny Galea will give us some strength in the back row.

“Hep’s absence will give opportunities to others – we can’t cry over it, we have got to move on.”

It represents a massive chance for Joe Mellor to take charge as the team’s chief string puller, with Betts pointing to times past when Vikings have got a result despite missing their skipper.

“There have been patches where we have played and won without Kevin – but he is still massively influential to this team and is still around.

“It changes the way we play because a lot of lads can’t do what Kevin does in a kicking game, awareness and decision-making sense, but this makes us play a bit more structured to give us a platform to play off and that will help bring the best out of Joe Mellor.

“This will be a chance for him to step up to the mark as dominant half and he will captain the side. This is all part of his development,” Betts said.

Saints, too, were also in the wars at the weekend and they will be without key strike players Jonny Lomax and classy Widnesian Mark Percival, as well as forward Mark Flanagan.

The defending champions will still be without suspended prop Kyle Amor, but pugnacious number six Travis Burns returns.

Betts said: “We are not alone – Saints are pretty busted themselves and they have had a tough month with the Souths game, picking up suspensions and losing some of their better players to injury.”

Friday’s game, kick off 8pm, has been brought forward from Sunday, but is not on television.