Wakefield Trinity v Huddersfield Giants - Wakefield poised to go on a tear, says Chris Chester

After five straight defeats since rugby league resumed last month, Trinity have a golden opportunity to get back on track against Huddersfield Giants this afternoon.

Trinity are officially the home team, but the hastily-arranged Betfred Super League fixture will be played behind closed doors at Huddersfield, who are also looking for their first win since March.

Both teams suffered a narrow loss a week ago – Trinity by two points to Hull and Giants by one against Leeds Rhinos – and Chester is confident his side have given themselves something to build on.

“We’re looking forward to it, it’s an important game,” Chester noted.

“I genuinely think the win’s just around the corner and we can go on to a nice run of games.”

Chester stressed: “We took a lot from last week’s performance, considering we’d literally had a 35-minute session the day before the game.

“We had three pull out the day before the team run and I was really upbeat with the effort and with what we saw.

“I was proud of them, the guys are doing it tough at the minute, but once we get some senior guys back in the squad I am pretty sure we’ll start winning some games.

“It is not all doom and gloom, we are well aware of where we are at this moment in time, but take into account the fact we had nine players missing last week and it was a really positive display from the players we put out there.”

Young stand-off Connor Bailey and prop Yusuf Aydin retain their place in the initial squad after making their debut last week.

“Neither of them looked out of place,” Chester said.

“Connor played 80 minutes on the edge and he’s going to be a very good player for us.

“Yusuf is ready and I think next year he will probably be number five or number six front-rower for us.

“It’s a real positive we’ve been able to blood some of these kids – Jack Croft has had an opportunity and Titus Gwaze as well and people like Max Jowitt and Jordy Crowther are still only young themselves.”

New signing from London Broncos, Eddie Battye, is set to make his debut today and Kyle Wood, James Batchelor, Adam Tangata, Croft, Romain Navarrete, Liam Kay and Tony Gigot are all in contention for a recall to the 17.

On-loan Innes Senior is unavailable to face his parent club and George King, Chris Green and Gwaze also drop out from last week’s team. Giants are without Adam O’Brien and Oliver Wilson from the team which lost to Leeds. Players in the 21 who did not feature are Jordan Turner, Suaia Matagi, Louis Senior, Sam Wood, Reiss Butterworth and Owen Trout.

Wakefield: from Tupou, Lyne, Jones-Bishop, K Wood, Westerman, Pitts, Kopczak, Batchelor, Tangata, Crowther, Jowitt, J Wood, Croft, Hampshire, Aydin, Bailey, Tanginoa, Navarrete, Kay, Gigot, Battye.

Huddersfield Giants: from Golding, McGillvary, Jake Wardle, Turner, McIntosh, Sezer, Gavet, Matagi, Edwards, Joe Wardle, Lawrence, English, Cudjoe, Holmes, Russell, Senior, Hewitt, S Wood, Butterworth, Trout, McQueen.

Referee: Jack Smith (Warrington).

Kick-off: Today, 3pm, at John Smith’s Stadium.