'I'm up for the fight': Willie Poching confident Wakefield Trinity can avoid relegation

Willie Poching has declared himself up for the fight after seeing Wakefield Trinity drop to the foot of Super League with eight rounds remaining.

Wakefield had a six-point cushion over Toulouse Olympique at the start of this month but they have seen that advantage wiped out in the space of three games.

Toulouse continued their stunning form with a third straight win over Leeds Rhinos on Saturday, while Trinity suffered a fourth defeat in a row at Hull KR.

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With seven of their remaining eight games coming against top-six sides, Wakefield are in a perilous situation.

Willie Poching before the game at Craven Park. (Picture: SWPix.com)Willie Poching before the game at Craven Park. (Picture: SWPix.com)
Willie Poching before the game at Craven Park. (Picture: SWPix.com)

But Poching will not give up on the club's Super League status.

"I believe in the group," he said.

"We have to change things and make some alterations to what we're doing - but as I've said to them, I'm up for the fight ahead and every battle that we have.

"We've got ourselves in a pickle but we've got to roll our sleeves up and punch our way out of it. I'm confident we can."

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Hull KR celebrate Ethan Ryan's try. (Picture: SWPix.com)Hull KR celebrate Ethan Ryan's try. (Picture: SWPix.com)
Hull KR celebrate Ethan Ryan's try. (Picture: SWPix.com)

While Wakefield face an anxious final seven weeks of the season, Rovers can breathe easier after claiming their first win under interim head coach Danny McGuire.

The former half-back admitted his players got the hairdryer treatment at half-time.

"It was tense but the biggest thing to take out of that was the response in the second half," said McGuire, who confirmed Dean Hadley dislocated his shoulder and Shaun Kenny-Dowall sustained a throat injury.

"I thought we were way off in the first half and I let them know at half-time in no uncertain terms; it's probably the most aggressive I've been in a long while. I think it was the right call.

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Dean Hadley suffered a dislocated shoulder. (Picture: SWPix.com)Dean Hadley suffered a dislocated shoulder. (Picture: SWPix.com)
Dean Hadley suffered a dislocated shoulder. (Picture: SWPix.com)

"As a coach, do you try pull out the positives or do you go for the throat and tell them it's not good enough? I went for the latter and they responded really well."

After moving clear of relegation danger, Rovers have their eye on a play-off spot with sixth-placed Hull FC only two points better off.

"We've got to be looking up now," added McGuire.

"You get caught up in talking about negative things and sneaking away from the bottom. Actually now we're not too far away from where we want to be.

"If we can string some performances together, we could be up there in the mix and doing things we want to do. That's going to be the message this week."

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