Wakefield Trinity urged to be more clinical to end losing run

But he admits they need to get back to winning ways this weekend if they are to stay in touch with Betfred Super League’s all-important top-five.

Over the past month Trinity have dropped from third to sixth in the table and been knocked out of the Coral Challenge Cup.

With Sunday’s hosts Salford Red Devils sitting seventh, two points behind Trinity, Jones-Bishop admitted it is “another massive game”, but he stressed: “We are still confident.”

The former Salford man pointed out: “We are creating opportunities, we are not a million miles away.

“It is maybe just a bit of smarts and being a bit more clinical.

“It is good to have Danny Brough and Jacob Miller back, they are a massive help for us.

“We’ll turn up for one another during the week and try and build on these performances.

“We’ll try and put things right that weren’t quite there and go to Salford and, hopefully, get two points.”

Trinity remain well in the race for a place in the play-offs despite the recent losses and a lengthy casualty list.

That gives the winger belief they can finish the season strongly.

With 12 games remaining, Wakefield are sixth, just two points behind Castleford Tigers who hold the fifth and final play-offs spot.

“As the table shows, it is very tight,” Jones-Bishop observed.

“If you put a run of games together at the right time you will be in that top five and with great form going into it.

“Myself, I have been fortunate to win it twice from fifth [with Leeds].

“You just have to get in there so we will keep battling to try and do that.”

Jones-Bishop believes Trinity took positives from last Friday’s derby against Leeds, despite the disappointment of suffering a 10-0 defeat.

Wakefield trailed 4-0 at the break and the only try came in the third quarter when an interception near Rhinos’ line prevented a Trinity touchdown and opened a two-score gap.

“We created some opportunities, but we just couldn’t get over the line,” Jones-Bishop recalled.

“We built a lot of pressure early on and credit to Leeds, they defended it and the one where Tui intercepts it and goes the length was probably the turning point.

“It is tough at the minute, we are on a bit of a losing streak, but we go again this week and we’ll try and put it right and catch those above us.”

Jones-Bishop is confident Trinity will get back to winning ways sooner rather than later if they continue to “turn up for each other and battle hard”, although he admitted that injuries are making it tougher by the week.

James Batchelor (hamstring) and Matty Ashurst (back) are both doubtful for Sunday after aggravating persistent injuries against Leeds, but Jones-Bishop insisted: “Everyone’s the same at some point in the year.

“It is a long year with the way the fixtures are so we’ve just got to keep battling and trying to pick up points and try and get some bodies back.”

Meanwhile, long-term casualty Bill Tupou has confirmed he is “a few weeks” away returning from the groin injury he suffered in April .

He said: “I have got to see the specialist again and the last time I saw him he said I was ahead of what he thought I should be. I will hopefully only be two or three weeks away.”