Wakefield Trinity news: double injury blow as key forward set for 12-week layoff
Two more injuries have increased Wakefield Trinity’s problems in the middle of the field - with one influential player set for a 12-week layoff.
Speaking at his preview press conference today (Thursday) ahead of Sunday’s Magic Weekend derby with Castleford Tigers, Powell revealed props Caleb Hamlin-Uele and Renouf Atoni have become the latest names on Trinity’s lengthy casualty list. Both were hurt during last week’s game at Catalans Dragons, which Wakefield lost in golden-point extra-time.
Trinity were already without Ky Rodwell, Thomas Doyle, Seth Nikotemo and Matty Storton from their pack and Powell confirmed: “Caleb has got a nerve injury. I have had some of that and it can take from a week to a fair while to come back so we are not sure on Caleb - hopefully he’s not too bad.”
Atoni tore a calf muscle and is facing longer out of the team. Powell added: “It looks like a 12-week-plus injury that one, which is obviously disappointing for Renouf and for us. He has been really good, it is a big blow - three months is a long time to be out.
“With what we’ve already got missing in our middle unit, it’s adding up a bit. It is pretty tough, we have got pretty decent depth in the middle, but it is being challenged at the moment.”
Trinity have been wracked by injuries all year, but Powell reckons most of them could not be avoided. He said: “Rens [Atoni] was well into the game and he has torn his calf - I don’t think there’s much we could do about that.
“Ky Rodwell, Thomas Doyle, Caleb, Seth Nikotemo, Matty Storton - they are all contact injuries. It is the nature of the sport. It is pretty brutal and I guess it is just bad luck, really. I don’t think any of it is technique or training practices, it is just the way it is with the game.”
Powell is confident stand-off Jake Trueman will be available this weekend to face one of his former clubs at Newcastle’s St James’ Park. He has been sidelined with a back injury and the coach said: “He is a smart player and it’s great to have him back.
“He has been training pretty hard and his fitness will be fine. Having two half-backs on the field, getting our spine something like, will be great because we haven’t had that for much of the season. That’s obviously a plus point and a real positive. There are other parts of the team we are a bit light in, but we just have to deal with it.”