'Enjoy the pressure': Wakefield Trinity urged to embrace survival battles ahead of Salford clash

Last week’s defeat at Hull KR, coupled with Castleford Tigers beating Warrington Wolves, left bottom club Trinity six points adrift of their nearest rivals.

With 11 games remaining, the situation looks bleak. But speaking ahead of Friday’s visit of Salford Red Devils, Applegarth insisted: “You shouldn’t be playing or coaching at this level if you don’t enjoy some sort of pressure.”

He said: “We know we have got a task on our hands, we have got to chase down a minimum of three wins and all we can do is focus on the next result and make sure our house is in order.

“We came up short last week and we have to rectify that. We will see how [Friday’s game] pans out and on Saturday morning we will reassess and go from there.

“There’s no point looking at the bigger picture, we have just got to take it week by week and put it into bite-sized chunks.”

Trinity will be without trialist winger Romain Franco, who suffered a shoulder injury against Hull KR. Applegarth said there is no break, but Trinity are awaiting results of a scan he underwent on Thursday.

Kevin Proctor, Mason Lino and Jai Whitbrread all remain on the casualty list, but could be in contention for next week’s home clash with Wigan Warriors, along with Samisoni Langi.

Morgan Smith is also awaiting scan results, on ligaments in a foot, but long-term casualty Reece Lyne returns to face Salford.

Salford are without spine players including Man of Steel Brodie Croft, Ryan Brierley and Andy Ackers.

Trinity took them to golden-point extra-time away from home earlier this season and the visitors’ injuries could give them an opportunity.

But Applegarth warned: “They have got some quality players out there, still. I am a big fan of their coach Paul Rowley, Salford play rugby how it is meant to be played.

“They have got some players out, but they are going well, they’re high in the table and full of confidence. We are expecting a tough task and, like always, we are just focussing on making sure we present the best version of ourselves.

“I think for 65 minutes of the KR game we did, but we started slowly and conceded three soft tries so we have got to learn our lessons from that and make sure we put our best foot forward.”