RILEY Dean will miss “between 12 and 14 weeks” with an injury sustained in pre-season training with Warrington Wolves, head coach Steve Price has confirmed.

The 17-year-old half-back, who made his senior debut against St Helens in August, has had surgery on a dislocated elbow which looks set to rule him out of contention for the start of the Super League season.

“Riley Dean’s picked up an elbow injury that’s required a bit of surgery. It’s a 12 to 14-week injury,” Price said.

“Other than that, we’re all healthy. There’s a good buzz around the organisation and we’re all working hard.”

Dean’s injury came to light at the same time as stories claiming marquee signing Gareth Widdop would miss a similar length of time through injury.

The club issued a denial of those claims yesterday and Price has reiterated that Widdop will be fit to join training on schedule in January.

“I don’t know where the story about Gareth came from. It’s incorrect,” he said.

“He’s got a little bit of a bicep injury but if he was here now, he’d be training. It’s nothing to be concerned about.”