'Hurting the quality of the comp': Wakefield Trinity coach Willie Poching 'alarmed' at injuries across Super League

Trinity play host to Wigan Warriors on Sunday, then play their final four game of the season in a 16-day spell, ending on September 3.

The hectic schedule will stretch squads to the limit and Poching warned: “Looking at some of the reports of what’s going on in the competition and the amount of players that are dropping each and every week, from different teams, it’s alarming.

“It’s something we need to address, especially as we go into the last three weeks when we’ve got a really congested fixture list.”

Of what can be done, Poching insisted: “The obvious thing is to spread the games out.

“From what I am hearing, I think the league are working on putting together a fixture list next season that isn’t so congested.

“It is harmful for the product.

“I read something that [St Helens coach] Kristian Woolf said the other day and I agree, it is hurting the quality of the comp’.

“We are having to ask younger players, who aren’t quite ready to step up.

“It can be damaging to them.

“While the positive is giving them that opportunity and a taste of playing at this level, sometimes it’s too early for them.

“There’s so many top-line players missing and I hope it doesn’t come back to hurt England in the long run in the World Cup.”

Sunday it is Wigan’s third visit to Wakefield this season and the sides’ fourth meeting overall.

Trinity - who are still scrapping to avoid relegation - are yet to pick up a win and Poching said: “We are familiar with the opposition, as much as they are familiar with us.

“Overall we are in better form than the last time we played them and we’ve got a few more bodies around at the moment to pick from.

“We’ve got to try and find some of that form we had a couple of weeks ago [in Trinity’s win at Castleford] and try and recreate some of that energy, which we missed last weekend.”

Trinity were 12-0 behind after eight minutes against Catalans Dragons before eventually losing 20-16.

“The second half was chalk and cheese to the opening game for us,” Poching admitted.

“Early on we lacked any punch or energy and we didn’t start with the intensity required.

“We had a discussion with strong words at half-time and an attitude switch, but we need to do that for 80 minutes, especially against this opposition.

“There was plenty of motivation and reasons for us to do well against Cas the week before and we need to find some of that drive again.

“We are in a position where we need to be driven, motivated and energetic every single week.”

Poching will select from the players on duty last week,plus Jack Croft, Brad Walker, Yusuf Aydin and Harry Bowes.

“Over the next couple of weeks we are expecting a couple back,” Poching said.

“We didn’t get any injuries last week which will keep anyone out, which is an improvement for us.”

Wakefield Trinity: from Miller, Lino, Battye, Hood, Arona, Ashurst, Tanginoa, Crowther, Whitbread, Batchelor, Gaskell, Kershaw, Croft, Walker, Aydin, Bowes, Murphy, Hall, Fifita, Bowden, Shaul.

Wigan Warriors: from French, Bibby, Marshall, Cust, Singleton, Mago, Isa, Farrell, Smithies, Ellis, Smith, Partington, Byrne, Pearce-Paul, Shorocks, Field, Miski, Halsall, O’Neill, Cooper, Hill.

Referee: Marcus Griffiths (Widnes).

Kick-off: Sunday, 3pm.