IAN Knott looks as though he's played his final game this season for Leigh Centurions.

The hard-working loose-forward went into hospital on Thursday for surgery on a back injury and it's unlikely he will have recovered sufficiently to play any further part in Leigh's engage Super League relegation struggle.

Knott has missed the last four games and had hoped that rest and physiotherapy would have cured the problem. But now he's been told that surgery is the only solution.

Coach Darren Abram explained: "Knotty had a similar problem last season and had an operation in the off-season to fuse two discs in the right side of his lower back. Now he needs an operation on the left side.

"I don't think you'll see him in a Leigh shirt again this season because the recovery time is so lengthy."

News of Knott's long-term absence is just what Abram didn't want to hear as he prepares his team for back-to-back away games with high-flying Hull. Leigh travel to the KC Stadium for the first time ever for a league game on Friday (8pm) and then make the return trip on Saturday week for their Powergen Challenge Cup quarter-final tie.

Three of Leigh's casualties from the Warrington defeat will be missing at Hull. Rob Smyth (ribs), James King (knee) and Jason Kent (eye) are ruled out.

But there are possible returns to action for Dom Feaunati, Ben Cooper, Mike Govin and Danny Halliwell who are all fit again after injury and have all been included in Abram's initial 20-man squad.

Abram will be particularly pleased to welcome back Govin and Halliwell who have both been out for long spells. Halliwell hasn't played a senior game since picking up a serious foot injury in the pre-season friendly against Whitehaven in January while Govin hasn't figured since damaging ankle ligaments in April. Also in the squad are Academy youngsters Matt Bottom and Liam Coleman.

The squad is: Wilshere, Feaunati, Halliwell, Jasckson, Maden, Duffy, Turley, Fleary, Mears, Rowley, Stapleton, Sturm, McCurrie, Leafa, Marshall, Govin, Stevens, Bottom, Cooper and Coleman.

The one notable absentee from the Hull squad is winger Gareth Raynor who has failed to fully recover from an ankle injury picked up in training a week ago. But Chris Chester returns after two weeks out with a shoulder problem.

Coach John Kear has decided not to risk long term casualties Richard Swain (broken arm) and Motu Tony (fractured cheekbone). Both are likely to be held back for the cup tie.