Junior Sa'u's loan stay at Wakefield Trinity extended amid injury setback

Junior Sa'u will remain on loan at Wakefield Trinity after Joe Arundel suffered a setback in his return from injury.
Junior Sa'u. PIC: Chris Mangnall/SWpix.com.Junior Sa'u. PIC: Chris Mangnall/SWpix.com.
Junior Sa'u. PIC: Chris Mangnall/SWpix.com.

Arundel tore his pectoral muscle at the end of May, but after some recent assessments, Trinity expected the centre to be back as soon as next week.

However, complications post surgery have meant that Arundel will be out for longer than anticipated, leaving the door open for Sa'u to remain at Belle Vue.

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The Salford Red Devils centre moved to Trinity last month in an initial one-month swap deal that saw Pauli Pauli go the other way.

Joe Arundel. PIC: Alex Whitehead/SWpix.comJoe Arundel. PIC: Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com
Joe Arundel. PIC: Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com

"There is an arrangement with Junior that works for both parties," said Chester.

"Junior has been great for us, and he is a good talker on the field, and off it.

"Pauli is obviously getting some game time over at Salford, there is a call-back option but we are happy with Junior.

"We have still not got Bill Tupou or Joe Arundel back.

Chris Chester.Chris Chester.
Chris Chester.
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"The surgeon has held Joe back a little bit, so we are not too sure on the timescale now.

"He has been training really, really well and that is what got us all confident that he would be back next week.

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"But it is something to do with the graft he has had in his pec, so he is going to take a few more weeks.

"He is only six, seven weeks into a 12-week injury and we have got to make sure we make do with the guys we have got.

"And having Junior gives us that bit of depth there."

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However, Chester has confirmed that Trinity will be without Sa'u next week for the trip to Salford, while Pauli Pauli will also not feature for the Red Devils against his parent club.

Trinity face Leeds Rhinos tonight, hoping to make it three wins from three against their old rivals in 2019.

Wakefield sit sixth - level on points with Castleford Tigers in fifth - four places ahead of Leeds who have just won five of their 16 Super League games in 2019.

Only four points separate Wakefield and third-placed Catalans Dragons, and Chester insists that every remaining game is "like a cup final" for Trinity.

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He said: "I expect us to play well, and I expect us to win.

"We need to treat every one of these league games like a cup final. We have missed out on one of our targets, and that was to reach a major semi-final.

"We have not been able to do that in the Challenge Cup but we have a great opportunity to do it in the league.

"The league campaign is the only focus now and we have got a good chance at home against Leeds."