Wakefield Trinity: Kyle Wood limbers up in style on his return from ankle injury

Wood suffered an ankle injury in the opening moments of Trinity’s victory at Catalans Dragons on February 24 and was expected to be sidelined for a month.

Coach Chris Chester was planning to use back-rower Jordan Crowther, recalled from a spell at partner club Dewsbury Rams, in the acting-half role, but Wood shocked everyone at the club – including himself – by recovering in time to start the game just eight days after being injured.

The Betfred Super League fixture was pushed back from Friday to Sunday because of snow, but Wood revealed he would have been available even if it had been played on the original date.

“I ruptured my ATFL [anterior talofibular ligament] in my ankle,” he said.

“But I recovered pretty quickly, all the swelling went out of it and by Thursday I felt I’d give it a run.

“I would have been playing Friday if it was on then, but the extra couple of days helped.

“It is a little bit sore, but the power was there and I could run, so just strap it up and hope for the best.”

Wood got through most of the game, though he was given a breather either side of half-time when Ryan Hampshire came off the bench.

The 28-year-old’s rapid recovery was a boost for Trinity and they will get another fillip when his fellow hooker Tyler Randell returns from injury in this Sunday’s game away to Wigan Warriors.

The Aussie has not played since suffering knee damage against Leeds Rhinos in the Boxing Day challenge match.

Wood has been carrying extra responsibility, but is looking forward to Randell’s return. He predicted: “Tyler is going to be a good impact for us.

“Four games in, you maybe need a bit of a lift and he will definitely do that. He is looking good in training so hopefully he will give us that impact and me and him can strike that combo together and both play well.”

The victory over Huddersfield extended Trinity’s winning run to four games.

This is now their best start in any competition since 1990 and most successful opening spell in the top flight for 73 years.

They have beaten Hull Kingston Rovers, Salford Red Devils, Catalans and Huddersfield, but will face a sterner test away to Wigan.

“We are in good form, but I still don’t think we are playing particularly well with ball in hand,” Wood said.

“We made quite a lot of errors again [against Huddersfield], but our form is pretty good and our defence has definitely been good. That shows what kind of team spirit we’ve got, we work hard for each other and that is what we are basing the season on.

“We’ve held teams to low scores and as long as our D stays good and we pick it up with the ball, improve our completions and be a bit more fluid in attack, I think we are going to cause them some problems.

“I think the attack side of things, once pitches dry out, will look after itself.

“But we’ve really got to concentrate on defence.”