Wakefield Trinity to make up for lost time once green light comes

Trinity have not played since pipping Bradford Bulls in a Coral Challenge Cup tie on March 13. Organised training was halted because of coronavirus later that month, but Betfred Super League is expected to resume in August and Chester said: “There’s nothing in concrete at the moment, but we are just putting plans in place to make sure the stadium is safe [for training]. The players are going to have to come in one door and leave by another.

“It is going to be like a conveyor belt, there’s all kinds of safe zones you need, testing stations and things like that.”

Chester added: “We had a Zoom meeting the other day with our doctor, who explained the things we are going to have to do and how we are going to do it and what parts of the stadium we’ll be able to use.

“It is all very complicated, but in terms of the start I am hoping we can get into training in the next couple of weeks. A lot will depend on public health advice. There is some light at the end of the tunnel, it’s just taking some time to get there.”

Super League’s return date and format for the rest of 2020 is expected to be decided at a board meeting on Friday. Round eight has been pencilled in for August 16 and Trinity are set to play their games in hand – home fixtures against Catalans Dragons and Huddersfield Giants – in the two weeks before that, although they are unlikely to stage matches at Mobile Rocket Stadium, Belle Vue, until the all-clear is given for crowds to return.

The plan is for several games to be played at one venue on the same day, to cut costs and for health and safety reasons. Chester insisted: “It wouldn’t bother me because we just want to get back out there. It would bother me if there was relegation because at the minute we’ve only played two home games and there’s teams that have played four or five.

“There’s a bit of an advantage there, but on the flip side we just want to get out there playing. I think we need to be in one or two stadiums over a weekend; I am all for it if we can just get going.”

***

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. These are challenging times but the team at the Yorkshire Evening Post need your support more than ever in the weeks ahead.

While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you. In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you - wherever possible and providing it is safe for you to do so - to also please purchase a copy of our newspaper.

Inevitably falling advertising revenues will start to have an impact on local newspapers and the way we continue to work during this period of uncertainty. So the support of our readers has never been more important as we try to make sure that we keep you connected with the city you live in during this time. But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. We need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis.

Our team of trusted reporters are working incredibly hard behind the scenes- from kitchen tables and spare bedrooms - to look at how we can do this and your continued support to the YEP will help to protect its viability in the days and weeks ahead.

For more details on our subscription offers please visit www.localsubsplus.co.uk/YEP, email [email protected] or call us on 0330 4033004

Thank you, Laura Collins, Editor