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Key Fax duo on the road to fitness
HALIFAX boss Matt Calland has confirmed that knee injury victims Sean Penkywicz and Jon Goddard are both on course to start next season.
Penkywicz damaged his medial ligament in the early stages of last month's Co operative Championship Grand Final loss to Barrow, a match Goddard, the former Hull KR centre, missed completely with a similar injury.
Both players took some part in Fax's fitness testing last week, the prelude to the start of full training a week today, with Calland now expecting the duo to be ready to play "by Christmas".
"The specialist has told Sean he won't need surgery and he came in and did some weights last week," said Calland, who has still to confirm Fax's pre season programme, although Courier Sport understands it is currently unlikely the schedule will include any festive fixtures.
"He needs to do some rehab work, but he will certainly be fit for our first game.
"Jon was running well last week and put up some good results in the tests, although we are still waiting for his scan to come back.
"Providing there is no problem with that, he'll be ready too."
That would leave full back Miles Greenwood, who will undergo a knee reconstruction early next month, as the only long-term absentee.
"At the moment, we're looking at Miles being back for May or June," said Calland, who will stick with Australian Shad Royston in the number one role.
Fax have also offered the first official confirmation that they did receive an approach from Super League side Salford for Penkywicz.
Weeks of speculation reached a head late last week, with reports in Manchester claiming the Fax skipper, who penned a new two year deal in the summer, had "turned down" Shaun McRae's side.
"Salford asked to speak to Sean, but were unable to reach an agreement with the player," said Fax chief executive Graham Clay.
"We're delighted that Sean will be staying with us."
Greg Inglis completed a hat-trick for Australian champions Melbourne Storm when he was awarded the 2009 Golden Boot after being adjudged the game's best player.
The Kangaroos centre follows in the footsteps of Storm team-mates Cameron Smith and Billy Slater, who won the award in 2007 and 2008 respectively.
Slater and Smith were on the 2009 short-list, alongside England pair Gareth Ellis and Kevin Sinfield and New Zealander Fuifui Moimoi.
The voting panel included Australian legend Wally Lewis, who was the first winner of the Golden Boot in 1985.
Inglis scored a crucial try for Australia in Saturday's 46-16 Four Nations final win over England, after which he was voted player of tournament.
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Weather for Halifax
Thursday 09 February 2012
Today
Light sleet
Temperature: 0 C to 1 C
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Wind direction: West
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Light sleet showers
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