Papua New Guinea international Willie Minoga is back in England, but it may be a little white until Barrow Raiders fans will get to see the prop in action again.

Minoga had to fly back to his home country after his pregnant wife was involved in a car accident towards the end of April and was given several weeks off by the club as a result.

After making the return journey, the 31-year-old was in attendance at Craven Park for Barrow’s 54-10 thrashing of Rochdale Hornets, which was their first win since the opening day of the season.

However, Minoga is currently struggling with injury, which means he is a doubt for Wednesday night’s 1895 Cup tie against Bradford Bulls, who were knocked out of the Challenge Cup by fellow Betfred Championship side Halifax yesterday.

Head coach Paul Crarey said: “Willie came back with a bit of a virus and he’s struggling with a knee injury, so he hasn’t made himself available for selection yet and the physios are saying that he wouldn’t last long if he did play, so that’s an ongoing thing.”

Minoga’s likely absence means Raiders’ trio of PNG stars, which also includes Stargroth Amean and Wartovo Puara There are signs, however, that Barrow’s injury crisis is at last starting to ease. Declan Hulme has returned to training for the first time in four months after the centre ruptured a bicep in the pre-season friendly against Wigan Warriors back in January, although it will be a couple of weeks before he is ready to play.

Crarey was also boosted by the news that Amean has recovered quickly from the dislocated shoulder he suffered against Rochdale after he scored a hat-trick against him, as his switch to centre from the left wing continued to bring benefits.

Crarey said: “He can defend and Jake [Spedding] has struggled a little bit defensively there. Star is probably a little bit more aggressive and I know he’s played a lot for the Hunters in the centre, he’s played full back and played wing.

“We’ve got some good full backs and he can play as well as anybody in them positions, but he’s come in and he’s filling a job for us there.

“We’ve moved Jake out to the wing and he’s in competition now with Brett Carter and people like that.

“Luke Cresswell has got a slight ankle injury, but he’ll probably be okay this week for selection and Danny Morrow is back and up for selection as well.

“We’re starting to look a bit healthier now and even though with lost a big player this week in Lewis Charnock [to suspension] we’re starting to get players back.”