Wakefield Trinity v Hull KR: Chester goes '˜back to basics' in bid to halt slump

HUNTING FOR A WIN: Chris Chester, right, has seen his Wakefield Trinity side win just once in their last eight games.

Although they finished just outside the top-four last term and won their opening four games this time around, the West Yorkshire club have been victorious just once in their last eight outings.

It has left them perilously close to being sucked into the bottom-four and so Chester has labelled tomorrow’s contest against visiting Hull KR as a “must-win.”

They won 28-6 at his former club on the opening night of the season but he concedes that now feels a long time ago.

“It certainly does,” said Chester.

“It was a good night that. We’ve had a few rough nights in between but I’ve said to the guys all this week that it’s now a win at all costs game for us on Sunday.

“We’ve stripped everything back to basics and to things that worked for us at the start of the year.

“Hopefully that’s just what we need this weekend to get a result.

“The last thing we want is to be dragged into that bottom-four scrap so we have to win and I don’t care how we do it.

“We can do it ugly and win by one point as long as we win. That’s all that matters.”

Wakefield entered this round in seventh spot with Hull KR down in 10th having picked up just three wins since earning promotion.

That said, they pushed champions Leeds Rhinos close 20-18 on Sunday and Chester insisted: “They’ve been good. I thought they were very, very unlucky last week.

“For large parts of that game I thought they were the better team playing an attractive brand of football.

“They like to throw the ball around. There’s not a great deal happening through the middle; a lot of their good work is done out on the edges. It’s going to be a tough game.”

Wakefield recall Liam Finn, Scott Grix, Justin Horo and David Fifita with Joe Arundel, Chris Annakin, Jordan Baldwinson and Max Jowitt dropping out of the 19.

Hull KR could give a debut to  St Helens loanee Aaron Smith while Maurice Blair and Liam Salter will be given late fitness tests and utility back Kieren Moss could also feature after being brought back from York City Knights.

Prop Josh Johnson returns in place of Nick Scruton.