Willie Poching looking to bring back the fun factor to Wakefield Trinity

Poching, who was assistant to previous coach Chris Chester, will take charge of the team for the first time when Warrington Wolves visit Mobile Rocket Stadium, Belle Vue, tomorrow.

Chester was sacked on Tuesday, two days after Trinity collapsed to a 22-18 defeat at Huddersfield Giants, having been 18-0 ahead inside 15 minutes.

That was Wakefield’s fifth successive loss and they have won only four games this season, leaving them second from bottom in Betfred Super League.

It will take a huge improvement for Trinity to upset third-place Warrington, who have lost just one of their last nine league matches.

But Poching insisted his first aim is to see Trinity’s players having fun again and he reckons when they do that, results will follow.

“I’d like to see them enjoy themselves,” the former Trinity player said.

“I’d like to see them with a smile on their face and just play free.

“I want to release some of the pressure, because there has been a lot of pressure on everyone over the last little while.

“The unfortunate thing about that is it has led to someone losing their job and regardless of who we are, we all have an involvement in the team so we’ve all had a responsibility and a part in that.

“We’ve all got to sort out what role we played and fix that up.”

Poching insisted he’s happy to be the one under pressure, rather than his players.

“I just want to release the shackles and let them go and play,” he added.

“Let them play happy, let them play free, let them enjoy themselves against Warrington and just go out and put in the best performance they can.

“I am sure if we go close to doing some of that, the score and the result will take care of itself.”

Poching said his task this week has been to help them get over the shock of Chester’s exit and fully focus on tomorrow.

“I am excited about the opportunity,” he said.

“I can’t rely on the emotion side of it [producing a performance].

“That alone is going to be a bit of a spur for us, but we’ve also had to prepare them as best we can.

“We’ve tried to give them the right information to help them do their best on Sunday.

“Hopefully the guys are able to bring out what they are capable of. If that’s what happens on Sunday and they can walk off the field with a bit of belief, we can take that into the next game.”

Scrum-half Mason Lino could return from an ankle injury and Jay Pitts and Lee Kershaw are also back in contention, alongside Brad Walker and Yusuf Aydin.

Reece Lyne drops out because of an arm injury.

Gareth Widdop returns to the Warrington squad but skipper Jack Hughes and Daryl Clark both serve one-match suspensions.

Wakefield Trinity: from Jowitt, Johnstone, Kay, Miller, Lino, Fifita, K Wood, Arona, Ashurst, Tanginoa, Westerman, Pitts, Battye, Batchelor, Green, Senior,Arundel, B Walker, Aydin, Kershaw, Hampshire.

Warrington Wolves: Akauola, Ashton, Austin, Burgess, Charnley, Cooper, Currie, Davis, Hill, King, Lineham, Mamo, Ratchford, Thewlis, Walker, Whitehead, Widdop, Williams, Wrench.

Referee: Marcus Griffiths (Widnes).

Kick-off: Tomorrow, 3pm.

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