By Julian Shea

Withers joined Wigan from Bradford in December 2006

Wigan full-back Michael Withers will be back sooner than expected after surgery on the knee he injured against Leeds.

It was feared he could miss two months but he should be training in a couple of weeks, although not in time to face St Helens at the Millennium Stadium.

"Once they got inside and had a look they found the damage wasn't as bad as they thought," he told BBC Sport.

"Saints is a big game but there will be bigger games later in the season so I want to manage my injury right."

The injury occurred during Wigan's win at Leeds on 10 April.

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"The injury was just down to wear and tear, I don't remember doing it," he said.

"I finished the game and next day it swelled up.

"I thought it was just down to the hard ground but it didn't go down, so I had a scan and they said it was a bit of wear and tear and that I had suffered a blow to it.

"If you go through your career without being injured, you're very lucky.

"I've been around a while and have only had a couple, if you get injured you get injured - there's no way of stopping it."