Wakefield Trinity set to ring the changes for Challenge Cup trip

CHANGES WILL be made to Wakefield Trinity's winning team this week, coach Chris Chester has pledged.
Chris Chester.Chris Chester.
Chris Chester.

Trinity recorded only their second victory in nine games when they thrashed visitors Hull KR 54-18 two days ago.

That will send them into Friday’s Ladbrokes Challenge Cup sixth round tie at Huddersfield Giants in buoyant mood, but Chester said several players picked up injury concerns.

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Wakefield’s players had a recovery session yesterday and are on a day off today before beginning a two-day build-up to the Cup tie.

“We’ve got a few knocks, a few bumps and bruises,” Chester reported. “There’s going to be some changes.

“We had plans to make changes just because it is a short turnaround. We have gone from training in 10 degrees to playing in 28 degrees on Sunday and that has taken its toll.

“It was very, very tough conditions to play in. Joe Arundel, Mason Caton-Brown, Ryan Hampshire and Max Jowitt will all come into my thoughts for Friday night.”

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Winger Ben Jones-Bishop is among the players struggling after Sunday’s game.

“When he went on a long run in the second half he pulled a calf muscle,” said Chester. “He managed to play on for the last 20 minutes. Reece Lyne copped a knock to a foot, Scott Grix has got a shoulder injury and Craig Huby knee.

“The first three are probably easier calls to make, but we will have to sit down with Chubbs [Huby] and see how he is feeling towards the back end of the week.”

Chester added: “We have got some squad depth in terms of numbers.

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“We only played Dave Fifita [returning from a hamstring injury] for 35 minutes and he did enough to warrant a spell on the sidelines. He will be pretty fresh and Kyle Wood got a head knock. He passed all his tests and came back on, but he only played 35 minutes so we have got a couple of fresh bodies there.

“We will see how we are when it comes to training on Wednesday.”