Warrington Wolves v Wakefield Trinity – Chris Chester expects acid test as hosts look to bite back

They have won their last three games after ending a nine-match losing run and shown plenty of positives.

However, all those victories came at Belle Vue whereas this evening’s contest is at Halliwell Jones Stadium facing a star-studded side who missed out on Wembley last weekend. Therefore, it brings a different proposition.

Wakefield scrapped their way past winless Leigh Centurions on Sunday having impressed in victories over Hull KR and Huddersfield Giants.

Warrington – no doubt still miffed by their Challenge Cup semi-final defeat against Castleford Tiger – are clearly a step up.

“It is an acid test this week,” said Chester

“We are coming up against a top-four side who are obviously going to be smarting from their loss on Saturday.

“We are on form and confident in ourselves, but I am sure they will be wanting to put their best foot forward.

“I think they were expected to win that (Castleford) game.

“Every year they are expected to be in a final of some sort and they have got one more to go at now.

“But the focus for us, during the limited time we’ve had in training, has been on improving from last weekend and making sure we raise our standards.

“I thought our standards dipped last week, in things like our execution and concentration.

“But, as a group, we are looking forward to seeing how far we’ve come in such a short space of time.

“It will give us an indication as a group and team where we are at this stage of the year.”

Wakefield have not won at Halliwell Jones Stadium since 2014, losing all seven of their meetings there in the interim.

Warrington’s England full-back Stefan Ratchford is due to make his 300th Super League appearance with both clubs naming unchanged 21-man squads.

Trinity’s England winger Tom Johnstone hopes to make his first appearance in nine weeks after concussion issues but may have to wait until next Wednesday’s game against Castleford Tigers to return.

Props Chris Green and Yusuf Aydin as well as winger Innes Senior are the others hoping to force their way into Chester’s matchday 17.