Reece Lyne's return boosts Wakefield Trinity as coach Mark Applegarth vows 'we can challenge Leeds Rhinos'

Trinity failed to score in both the matches Lyne missed, losing 60-0 at Wigan Warriors and 8-0 to Huddersfield Giants.

Applegarth confirmed Lyne is fit and ready to go following his “medical issue” and stressed: “He wouldn’t be playing if we didn’t have full clearance.

“It is a really big boost for us. I know he has been itching to get back, so we are over the moon to have him.”

Corey Hall, Tom Lineham, Rob Butler and Dane Windrow are other players in contention for a call up, but Trinity will be without Lewis Murphy who suffered a season-ending anterior cruciate ligament injury during last week’s game.

With Max Jowitt and Kelepi Tanginoa also on the long-term casualty list, Applegarth is looking to add at least one player to his squad.

Former Rhinos full-back Ashton Golding was a possible target, but Huddersfield were unwilling to let him go.

Rhinos are on a high after last week’s win at St Helens, but Applegarth insisted: “We have just been focusing on where we need to be to improve.

“It’s fair to say we needed to improve our defence last week and we did that, but at the same time we know we have to be better with ball in hand.

“We look a bit too tense, so we’ve been focused on getting that composure about us, loosening up and taking our chances when we see them.

“It has been a really good week’s training and the lads know we can’t be saying we’ve put a really good effort in and just come up short. They are as desperate as anyone to get things going.”

Applegarth doesn’t expect Leeds to suffer a hangover from last week’s win at St Helens. He said: “They like to throw the ball about, they’ll play from anywhere and they’ve got some really good players.

“We are expecting a really tough test, but saying that, we also feel we can challenge them. We are confident in what we can bring.”