Mark Applegarth vows to fight on with Wakefield Trinity

​Despite seeing Trinity go four points adrift at the bottom of the table with their defeat to Castleford Tigers and his prolonged wait for a first league victory as Wakefield head coach, Applegarth is not disheartened yet.

He said: "My job is to keep a level head and make sure my lads are as prepared as they can be going into the game and they give their all.

“I still want it. I have thick enough skin.

“Emotions are high and it is a tough place to be. You have to keep going.

"We have to fix some things and we will keep attacking it because otherwise things just compound and get worse.

“We are not where we want to be but you have the highs and lows.

“I’m alright, I said at the start of the year that you shouldn’t be in this job if you can’t manage your emotions and have thick skin.

“Some years are tough and others are really high, you have to absorb it all and take it all in and learn from your mistakes.”

Applegarth, meanwhile, has quashed rumours that currently sidelined star forward Kelepi Tanginoa would be the next to leave Wakefield Trinity.

He stressed: “I can’t wait to get Kelepi back on the field for Wakefield Trinity. He is definitely not a player we are looking to move on.

“I have got an excellent relationship with Kelepi and a fit and healthy Kelepi Tanginoa is one of the best players in Super League, especially in his position.

“I can’t stop the speculation. When you are in a tricky spot such as we are, bottom of the league, people are going to try to start stripping your assets and Kelepi is definitely an asset to Wakefield."

Tanginoa was due to be back training with the first team squad this week when the coaching staff will assess his fitness and when he can return to the starting line-up.

Another forward, Josh Bowden, is also back in training and in contention for a place in the side as Trinity host Leigh Leopards at the Be Well Support Stadium in another key Super League game this Sunday.