Salford Red Devils v Wakefield Trinity: Every game is must-win from now on, says Danny Brough

There’s 12 games still to play, but half-back Danny Brough reckons Wakefield Trinity are already into sudden-death rugby.
Wakefield Trinity's Danny Brough.Wakefield Trinity's Danny Brough.
Wakefield Trinity's Danny Brough.

Trinity have suffered three successive Betfred Super League defeats – plus a loss in the Coral Challenge Cup – and slipped from third in the table to sixth at the start of round 18.

Salford's Jackson Hastings.Salford's Jackson Hastings.
Salford's Jackson Hastings.
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They are only two points ahead of tomorrow’s hosts Salford Red Devils who began the weekend in seventh spot and Brough described it as a “must-win” game – but he insisted that will the case every week from now on.

Fifth-placed Castleford Tigers are just two points in front of Wakefield who have a better for and against of one and Brough stressed: “The rest of the season is must-win games for us, the situation we are in.”

But – with Salford in the same boat – Brough warned Wakefield need to focus first on playing well.

“I think, when we are playing a tough, dogged team in Salford, a performance is the first thing that will help us,” he predicted.

“We haven’t been performing great in the last few games.

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“Although it was a sloppy, slow game the other night [the 10-0 home loss to Leeds Rhinos eight days ago] we still tried to go sideways rather than go through them.

“They probably played the conditions a bit better than us, but the boys are upbeat.

“The camaraderie is good, it is just unfortunate with the injuries.

“We only had 18 training [on Thursday] and Chezzy [coach Chris Chester] running in at full-back, but the morale is good.”

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Trinity picked up more injuries last week with forwards Matty Ashurst (back) and James Batchelor (hamstring) both missing tomorrow’s game.

Danny Kirmond will return after concussion and Pauli Pauli is set to feature against the team where he spent the past month on loan.

Lee Kershaw and Ben Reynolds could be recalled and young forward Titus Gwaze, who has been playing on loan for Oldham, is in contention for his debut.

Brough is two games into his comeback from a broken thumb and noted: “I don’t think we have picked the same team week on week all season.

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“I think we have had five back-rowers and it has changed again this week.

“It is tough, but I am just trying to find my rhythm and the feel for the team and get us back to winning ways.”

That will be far from easy against a Salford team who are also desperate to end a losing run.

“It is a very tough game, they are a dogged team,” Brough said of tomorrow’s hosts.

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“You can tell by their last three results – they have only lost by two or three points.

“They are very well structured and have some great attacking flair as well.

“We have got to be aware of that and try and meet the pack front on as well – and watch that Jackson Hastings, Robert Lui and Niall Evalds don’t come on the back of that and cause us problems.”

Brough’s head to head with Hastings could be pivotal to the result.

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The Trinity man said: “Every week you try to outplay your opposite number and that is what I will try and do this week.

“I am sure that he will try and do the same.”

Junior Sa’u – who joined Trinity as part of a loan-swap with Pauli – has been named in Salford’s initial 19-man squad.

He is set to replace Ken Sio.

Lee Mossop, Mark Flanagan, Ben Nakubuwai and Derrell Olpherts are also in contention, with Daniel Murray dropping out from the team which lost at Hull last week.

Salford Red Devils: from Evalds, Welham, Sa’u, Bibby, Lui, Mossop, Dudson, Jones, Griffin, Flanagan, Lussick, Walker, Burke, McCarthy, Nakubuwai, Tomkins, Olpherts, Inu, Hastings.

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Wakefield Trinity: from Brough, Croft, Crowther, England, Gwaze, Hampshire, Hirst, Jones-Bishop, Kershaw, King, Kirmond, Kopczak, Lyne, Miller, Pauli, Randell, Reynolds, Tanginoa, Wood.

Referee: M Griffiths (Widnes).

Kick-off: Tomorrow, 3pm.