WOLVES first-team coach Richard Agar says Declan Patton is ready for his shot in the halves at Hull KR on Friday night.

The Wire will have to do without stand-off Kurt Gidley,as the influential Australian picked up a hamstring injury in training as well as taking a knock during last week’s Challenge Cup win over Widnes.

The 33-year-old, who has also been nominated for the Super League Player of the Month award for June alongside teammate Ben Currie, is set to be replaced by academy graduate Patton.

The 21-year-old has only appeared once for Wolves this season, off the bench in Easter Monday’s defeat at Hull FC, and has missed a portion of the season with a knee injury.

However, he returned for the reserves over the weekend and Agar has full faith in his ability to fill in for Gidley alongside Chris Sandow.

“Declan will play in the halves, he’s a very smart young player who really knows the game,” he said.

“He’s been showing up in training really well so we’re happy to give Declan the nod and we’re all excited to see what he can do.

“He’s had to sit very patiently this year given the form Chris and Kurt have been in, plus the injury he had.

“His football has been interrupted over the past six weeks or so but he played a great game for us in the reserves at the weekend and another one for Rochdale the week before.”

Ryan Atkins will also miss the game through suspension, with Toby King set to deputise and play his first game since the Magic Weekend defeat to Castleford Tigers.

Agar says they have resisted the temptation to shuffle the pack and bring winger Tom Lineham back into the side, saying a straight swap made more sense.

“Toby King will be a like-for-like swap with Ryan Atkins, we’re confident in these two guys to come in and do the job,” he said.

“Tony (Smith) has given Tommy one or two pointers and areas of his all-round game he feels he needs to have a look at and correct.

“He got off on the right foot at the weekend by playing well for the reserves and I think Tony will be looking for more of the same in the coming weeks when he gets opportunities to play.

“For this game, rather than shuffling the decks and putting Tommy in, we feel a like-for-like swap is the best option and it gives us a chance to leave Stefan Ratchford in a position where he’s been playing really well over the past few weeks.”

n Wolves 19-man squad: Ryan Bailey, Daryl Clark, Jordan Cox, Ben Currie, Brad Dwyer, Rhys Evans, Chris Hill, Jack Hughes, Benjamin Jullien, George King, Toby King, Declan Patton, Kevin Penny, Stefan Ratchford, Matty Russell, Chris Sandow, Joe Westerman, Ben Westwood, Sam Wilde.