'A cruel blow': Wakefield Trinity winger Lewis Murphy suffers season-ending injury

The 20-year-old was helped from the field in the first half of last week's home defeat by Huddersfield Giants following a challenge for a high kick.

Scans have confirmed Wakefield's worst fears, leaving them without their 2022 top tryscorer for the remainder of the campaign.

Trinity head coach Mark Applegarth said: “We are all really disappointed for Lewis and it’s a cruel blow.

“Everyone at the club will support him through his rehab and I know he will be relentless in coming back better than ever in 2024.”

Murphy was last season's breakout star after scoring 17 tries in 19 games to help keep Wakefield in Super League.

The youngster, who was all set for an England Knights debut before injury struck in the final game of 2022, is out of contract at the end of this year.

Murphy confirmed last month that he had held talks with Sydney Roosters over a move to the NRL but insisted at the time that nothing had been agreed.

The loss of Murphy leaves Applegarth with three senior wingers in Jorge Taufua, Lee Kershaw and Tom Lineham.

Tries have been hard to come by for Trinity in the early weeks of the new campaign, with Applegarth's men failing to score since posting 24 points against Catalans Dragons in round one.

Applegarth could dip into the recruitment market to replace Murphy amid a challenging start to the year that sees Wakefield propping up the Super League table after three rounds.

Trinity were already facing up to being without full-back Max Jowitt for up to three months with an ankle injury, while forward Kelepi Tanginoa is out for six weeks due to a hamstring issue.

Experienced centre Reece Lyne has missed the last two games because of a “medical issue”.