HUDDERSFIELD Town head coach Michael Duff has reported light at the end of the tunnel on the injury front with Lasse Sorensen, Joe Hodge, Radinio Balker and Lee Nicholls stepping up their training work, while club captain Jonathan Hogg is back in the fray for the weekend League One home game with Charlton Athletic.

Town have seen their treatment room clear in recent weeks , with Michal Helik, Rhys Healey and Josh Koroma now back in full training and in first-team contention again, while Hogg is now also back.

Sorensen (hamstring), Hodge (groin), Balker (ankle) and Nicholls (shoulder) remain out, but are going the right way in their rehabilitation, according to Duff.

The one main frustration is the situation with Antony Evans, who is currently laid low by a troublesome toe injury.

HUDDERSFIELD, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 12: Michael Duff, Manager of Huddersfield Town reacts during the Bristol Street Motors Trophy match between Huddersfield Town and Manchester United U21 at John Smith's Stadium on November 12, 2024 in Huddersfield, England. (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images)

placeholder image — HUDDERSFIELD, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 12: Michael Duff, Manager of Huddersfield Town reacts during the Bristol Street Motors Trophy match between Huddersfield Town and Manchester United U21 at John Smith's Stadium on November 12, 2024 in Huddersfield, England. (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images)

On the prospect of more injured players returning, Duff said: "In the coming weeks, yes.

"Lasse Sorensen is on the grass now and not with us. Hodgy is on the grass and those two are getting closer and closer and the fact they are doing full sessions with the physios now.

"Radinio Balker has trained with us (on Thursday). Not non-contact, but the fact he is actually joining in passing drills and unopposed sessions is a positive, while Lee Nicholls did his first session on the grass today.

"Again, he is still a good few weeks off, but the fact he is allowed to put his boots on after being gym-based (is good). Those are all real positives and good players coming back.

"With the amount of games coming up, we need them back as soon as possible, as there's a good chance we will pick up more in the weeks coming."

On Evans, he continued: "It just won't seem to settle down. It's really sore and in the base of his big toe and won't let him go any further than a walk, so he'd had a steroid put in it a couple of weeks ago. It's one of those really, really frustrating ones.

"He's really frustrated at the minute as he's desperate to get back involved and probably one of the only ones left back in the gym now."

Brodie Spencer and Callum Marshall returned to training on Thursday following international duty with Northern Ireland, as did fit-again Josh Koroma, who was part of Sierra Leone's recent international plans.

Duff added: "Brodie had a bit of a dead leg after playing two 90 minutes and with the other two, Josh got 14 or 15 minutes and Callum was an unused substitute for both (Northern Ireland games).

"But they have all come back and trained today, so that's a positive.

"Micha and Rhys Healey are also back in full training, so we are starting to get a few bodies back."