Wakefield Trinity coach Daryl Powell provides Tom Johnstone injury update
Coach Daryl Powell has provided a positive update on Wakefield Trinity’s England winger Tom Johnstone.
Johnstone rejoined Trinity in the off-season after two years with Catalans Dragons, but has not played since sustaining a broken leg in a game against Castleford Tigers in July.
He underwent surgery, but is expected to be available for the start of Betfred Super League in February
“He started running last week so he has got himself moving again,” Powell revealed of the 29-year-old, who is rated as one of the best finishers in the European game. “He is in great spirits and he looks great, athletically and physically, like he always does.”
Powell confirmed Trinity came through their 18-16 defeat at Leeds Rhinos on Boxing Day with no significant new injury concerns. He reported: “I don’t think there’s anything too bad.
“A few boys tightened up, which you expect in these games - there’s more stress on their bodies than you’re going to get in training - but I don’t think there’s anything major. I think we are okay.”
Wakefield trailed 12-0 at half-time, against an almost full-strength Leeds team, but hit back strongly when changes were made on both sides after the break. They got in front with seven minutes left, but a late converted try won the game for the hosts.
Assessing the newcomers in his squad, Powell said: “I thought Cam Scott did some quality things defensively in the first half and he was dangerous with the ball. I thought he was a standout, Seth [Nikotemo] was strong and [Mathieu] Cozza had a decent second stint .
“We have got 10 new players, so to get all the boys out there together, building combinations, was great for us. It was good to get back into it.”
Powell added: “The [Boxing Day] game is never in a great place from a rugby league perspective, especially when you start pre-season as late as we did, with our Grand Final being the week after the Super League Grand Final. Last year we didn’t think it was a great time and we got a lot out of it and I think it will be exactly the same this time.
“We are happy where we are at. We’ve got a bit of time to go now, we always knew it was going to be a shortish pre-season, but I think we are in a good place.”
Powell gave some game time to several young and fringe players and picked out hooker Harvey Smith and prop Ellis Lingard as “next in line” for a first team breakthrough. “Harvey will get some Super League game time [in 2024], I think,” he said. “Ellis is someone we see a future in, but he is a very young front-rower. I thought he did very well when he came on.”