'We want to finish on a high': Wakefield Trinity have plenty to play for at St Helens says Willie Poching

Departing forward Tinirau Arona celebrates Trinity's Super League survival with fans after the win over Hull KR. Picture by Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com.

The pressure is off Wakefield Trinity, but boss Willie Poching says his side still have things to play for.

Trinity are safe from relegation after last Thursday’s win over Hull KR which lifted them a place to 10th in Betfred Super League.

With two games to play, at leaders St Helens on Monday and away to third-placed Huddersfield Giants four days later - they are only two points off eighth spot and Poching said: “Four or five weeks ago everybody was saying it was going to come down to the last game.

“We wanted to take that away and take that pressure off ourselves.

David Fifita celebrates with the fans at the end of his last game at Belle Vue. Picture by Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com.

“Thankfully, the guys have done that and now we’d like to finish as high as we possibly can and continue this run of form and run of successes we’ve had over the last few weeks.

“I think we owe it to ourselves to finish as strongly as we can.”

Several players - including long-serving overseas stars Tinirau Arona and Dave Fifita will be leaving at the end of the season and Poching added: “We’d definitely like to give them the best send off possible and I’m sure they’d like to finish their time at the club in the best way possible too.

Saints will rest a host of key players and Poching added: “All teams are going through this congested period of games and it’s about managing squads and keeping the hunger and desire to finish as strongly.

Wakefield coach Willie Poching. Picture by Will Palmer/SWpix.com.

“St Helens will be a tough test for us, but as soon as last week’s game finished, as much as we were joyous and excited about securing our position, it was about ‘let’s get moving on to Saints’ as well.”

Sid Adebiyi has been included in Trinity’s initial squad, for the first time since Easter and Dane Windrow, Brad Walker and Thomas Minns are also in contention.

Josh Bowden, David Fifita and Lee Kershaw won’t feature, but will be available for Friday’s season finale.

St Helens: from Makinson, Lussick, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Paasi, Wingfield, Bell, Simm, Davies, Norman, Royal, Bennison, Baxter, Pemberton, Moss, Delaney, Buckley, Corkill, Archer, Gilford, Lane, Burns.

Wakefield Trinity: from Jowitt, Miller, Lino, Battye, Arona, Ashurst, Crowther, Gaskell, Kay, Croft, Walker, Aydin, Adebiyi, Bowes, Murphy, Windrow, Shaw, Hall, Minns, Butler, Evans.

Referee: Tom Grant (Leeds).

Kick-off: Monday, 3pm.