Leeds v Wakefield: Webster is forced to leave it late

THINGS cannot get much worse for depleted Wakefield Trinity Wildcats.
James Webster.James Webster.
James Webster.

Their trip to Headingley this afternoon was always going to be taxing given they have not won there since 2007 and face a Leeds Rhinos side who sit impressively at the top of Super League.

But Trinity, who conversely are bottom after six successive losses, have also been hit by yet more injuries ahead of the game.

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Dean Collis, the Australian centre and one of their more potent attackers, misses out, having had to have an operation on a ruptured testicle, and Mickael Simon was also injured against former club Catalans Dragons last Thursday.

Wakefield head coach James Webster plans to leave his selection as late as possible, given his squad are also nursing some other injuries from that embarrassing 40-4 home defeat.

“With the short turnaround of Easter we are still not 100 per cent on whether a couple of players will be fit to play,” he said at the weekend.

“What we know for sure is Dean Collis will be out for four weeks as he has ruptured his testicle against Catalans and had emergency surgery straight after the game.

“Also, Mika Simon will be missing through a bad dead leg.”

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In their place in the 19-man squad come Pita Godinet, the Samoan half-back who has been absent recently with a shoulder injury, and youngster Jordan Crowther as Trinity bid to defy the odds and prevent a 10th consecutive loss at Headingley.

Webster knows his side must eradicate the simple mistakes that are blighting them, especially against opponents as ruthless as Leeds.

“Against Catalans, our completion was 50 per cent in the first half and yet again errors hurt us,” he said.

“As soon as we gave them the ball and good field position, they hurt us. That has been a common trend and we need to work harder on that; we have identified it and we have just got to get over that hurdle.

“We realise that over the next couple of weeks it is going to be tough for us.”