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Wakefield Wildcats hit by Cooke injury blow
WAKEFIELD Wildcats will take on Leeds Rhinos in their Magic Weekend clash at Murrayfield on Saturday without playmaker Paul Cooke who is facing at least three weeks on the sidelines with a grade one hamstring tear.
Cooke's injury is the latest setback for Wildcats head coach John Kear who has hit out at the "unfair criticism" that has been levelled at several of his players, including Cooke, during Wakefield's recent drop-off in form.
The Wildcats have suffered three straight defeats in Super League XV and an exit from the Carnegie Challenge Cup since early April but Kear has leapt to the defence of his squad.
He said: "I am being very protective of my players at the moment and I think that players like Paul (Cooke] have copped some unfair criticism.
"He played against Castleford, Wigan and Crusaders - that's three games in 10 days - and took part in only five field sessions.
"We have been missing big name players who started the season with us and it is very difficult for (Cooke] to become a pivotal player in such a short time."
And now Cooke will miss out on the chance to answer his critics at the Magic Weekend because of an injury that Kear admits will keep him out for "at least three weeks."
Daryl Millard is also missing from the Wildcats' squad having picked up a leg injury in last week's defeat at Hull FC and full-back Matt Blaymire is still not fully fit.
Wakefield Wildcats 19-man squad is: Damien Blanch, Sean Gleeson, Luke George, Ben Jeffries, Michael Korkidas, Dale Ferguson, Jason Demetriou, Sam Obst, Kyle Bibb, Paul Johnson, Kevin Henderson, Aaron Murphy, Paul King, Tevita Leo-Latu, Dale Morton, James Davey, Richard Moore, Ben Gledhill, Danny Kirmond.
Read tomorrow's Wakefield Express for more news from the Wakefield Wildcats.
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Weather for Wakefield
Saturday 26 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 10 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: East
