So far so good as Wakefield Trinity keep Covid at arm's length

Trinity coach Chris Chester. Picture by Jonathan Gawthorpe.

Trinity played more Betfred Super League games, 19, than any other club in 2020, despite a host of players either testing positive for coronavirus or having to isolate under test and trace rules.

Wakefield have been in pre-season since Christmas and, so far, the virus has been kept away.

“What we can’t afford is what we had a lot of last year - our best players not being out on the field,” Chester admitted.

“So far, so good in terms of Covid - I don’t don’t know if we’ve had one player test positive since we’ve come back in for pre-season, which is really good.

“I am hoping we got all our positives [test results] out of the way last year, but we will see.”

Trinity will play Betfred Championship neighbours Dewsbury Rams in a pre-season game, behind closed doors, at Mobile Rocket Stadium on Sunday, March 14.

That is likely to be their only full-scale warm-up match and Chester confirmed: “In previous years we played two or three friendlies, but we just want one and we want to try and hit the ground running.”

But the coach added: “There has also been talk of having opposed sessions with Super League teams.

“That would be good as well.”

The practice game will come one day short of a year since Rams were last in action, a 38-30 defeat at Newcastle Thunder in the Challenge Cup on March 15, 2020.

Castleford Tigers have confirmed a pre-season fixture at Hull KR on March 14 in what will be a testimonial game for loose-forward Adam Milner.

Leeds Rhinos, Trinity’s Super League round one opponents at Emerald Headingley on Saturday, March 27, are set to play Huddersfield Giants.

That will be Ian Watson’s first game as Giants coach following his move from Salford Red Devils.

Imports King Vuniyayawa and Zane Tetevano could make their Leeds debut.

Championship clubs kick off their season in the Challenge Cup first round on the weekend of March 19-21, when Rams face a tricky tie at Whitehaven and the league campaign begins two weeks later.

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