Wakefield Trinity can turn poor form around, insists James Batchelor

Last week’s 36-16 home defeat by Castleford Tigers left Trinity in eighth place on the Betfred Super League ladder after 22 rounds.

Having been third only two months ago, they are four points behind fifth-placed Wigan Warriors – who they visit on Thursday – and a similar distance ahead of bottom club London Broncos.

Trinity’s campaign could yet go either way but, after losing seven of their last eight league matches, Batchelor admitted they need to start picking up some points soon.

“We can turn it around,” pledged the 21-year-old.

“We are in a bit of a hole, we have to admit that, but the only people who can get us out of it are those of us in the changing rooms, being confident in ourselves to be able to do that.

“We will recover and we will get ready to go again this week.”

Defending champions Wigan are moving in the opposite direction.

They struggled at the foot of the ladder earlier in the year, but are now in the play-off positions and gearing up to defend their Super League title.

But Trinity beat them 30-20 at Mobile Rocket Stadium, Belle Vue, in April and Batchelor sees no reason why they can’t do that again.

“We had a good win against them earlier in the season,” he recalled.

“We toughed it out.

“We know it is going to be really tough because they are playing even better now, but every game between now and the end of the season is going to be tough.

“We just need to find a way to get out of this hole.”

Wakefield’s superior points difference means London would have to win three more games than Trinity to overtake them in the table, but the situation near the bottom is too close for comfort. Batchelor added: “It isn’t something we are constantly talking about and worrying about, but we know we need to pick up some wins.

“That is the only thing we are concentrating on.

“We know if we pick up a win [on Thursday] our confidence will start growing and we can kick on from there.”

Batchelor was yesterday confirmed in the latest England Knights performance squad which will prepare for a one-off Test against Jamaica at Emerald Headingley in October.

He has had an injury-hit season, but last week’s game was his return after a month on the sidelines with a hamstring problem sustained in a home derby loss against Leeds Rhinos.

He confirmed he came through unscathed and admitted: “It was good to be back out there, but it’s frustrating.

“It wasn’t the way I wanted to come back.

“After the game we said we didn’t take our chances and they took theirs. That was the difference on the scoreboard.”

Batchelor felt Trinity lost their way in the early stages of the second period.

“Probably in the first 15 minutes after half-time we didn’t play the way we did in the first 40,” he said.

“We didn’t carry it on and that was probably what decided the game.“