Wakefield Trinity v Hull FC: Mark Applegarth rings changes for final pre-season game

Trinity have already beaten Leeds Rhinos, Halifax Panthers and Featherstone Rovers and coach Mark Applegarth said: “We are just giving minutes to a few lads we feel still need it.”

He confirmed: “Kevin [Proctor] is getting another half a game under his belt, after his long layoff from the NRL and we’re giving some youngsters a chance.

“They have trained hard in pre-season so it will be good to have a look at them against top opposition in Hull FC.”

Applegarth knows a fringe squad will be given a stern test. He added: “We’ve rested about 10 of what you’d perceive to be our top 20.

“[Hull’s] Tony Smith is a proven coach and he likes to play a nice brand of rugby, throwing the ball about.

“They’ve got some class players, but it’ll be good to get some more minutes into our lads that need it and for the young lads stepping up it’ll be a great test and a great experience.”

Trinity maintained their 100 per cent record by scoring a flurry of unanswered points after the break to beat Featherstone 24-12 last Sunday.

“I thought Fev were excellent in that first half,” Applegarth reflected. “I don’t want to take anything away from them, but I was pretty disappointed with our application in defence.

“In a way it worked out well because we saw a bit of character from the lads, in how they came back from a 12-0 deficit.

“That was pleasing. It is pre-season, every coach will say the main thing is your players are getting what they need and we feel a lot of players have done that in the first three games.”

Wakefield Trinity (v Hull): Hall, Kershaw, Farrar, Law, Taufua, Langi, M Smith, Whitbread, Kay, Atoni, Windrow, Proctor, Crowther. Subs Butler, Battye, Schofield, Roberts, Mearns, Pratt, Wood, Camplin, Abraham, Poching, Hunter, H Smith, Corke.

Hull: from Hoy, Swift, Sutcliffe, McIntosh, Clifford, Houghton, Satae, Lane, Fash, Lovodua, Cator, Evans, Scott, McNamara, Brown, Griffin, Laidlaw, Litten, Barron, Gardiner, Taylor, Staveley, Dwyer.

Referee: Jack Smith (Wigan).

Kick-off: Sunday, 2pm.