Wakefield Trinity: Attitude's the key to winning at the Vikings says Kyle Wood

WAKEFIELD TRINITY hooker Kyle Wood hopes the same attitude tonight will bring a different result.
Kyle Wood scores against Leeds Rhinos.Kyle Wood scores against Leeds Rhinos.
Kyle Wood scores against Leeds Rhinos.

Trinity will travel to Widnes Vikings eight days after an agonising 25-24 loss to Betfred Super League leaders Castleford Tigers when they were pipped by a last-gasp drop goal after leading 16-0 at the break.

That left them fifth in the table, but a win this evening could see them overtake Hull and Salford Red Devils, who face tough away games this evening at Leeds Rhinos and Castleford respectively.

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“It’s a winnable game for us,” Wood said of the trip to Halton Stadium.

Danny Kirmond.Danny Kirmond.
Danny Kirmond.

“We have got to turn up with the same attitude we had last week.

“We have still got a chance of finishing in the top-four and we want to do that to get an extra home game in the Super-8s.”

Trinity kept Tigers – Super League’s leading scorers – to zero in the first half and Wood reckons that proved they are heading in the right direction.

“We have been building for the last few weeks,” he said.

Danny Kirmond.Danny Kirmond.
Danny Kirmond.
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“We seem to be getting better and that’s good because we want to be improving towards the back end of the season, when it matters.

“We have just got to keep improving so when it comes to the back end of the Super-us we can hopefully play in the finals.

“We are playing quite consistent rugby at the moment and we’re not relying on superstar players to win games for us; we are all playing well and that’s good - we are playing as a team.”

Widnes are facing a battle against relegation in the middle-eights Qualifiers, but have won their last four home games.

“They are tough to beat over there,” Wood warned.

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“They know the [artificial] pitch, the ball bounces a bit differently and it’s a quicker surface.

“They are used to that, but we’ve just got to go there with the same kind of mentality, work hard for each other and really pin them down in defence.

“They have got quality players – like Rangi Chase – and if you give them opportunities they are going to expose your defence, so we have got to defend well and that will help with our attack.”

Wood felt penalties and errors “swung the momentum of the game” against Tigers after Trinity had built their big half-time lead.

He added: “We can’t afford to do that against Widnes.

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“We have got to be squeaky clean and not give them anything.”

Skipper Danny Kirmond, who has missed the last six games due to a knee injury, has been named in Trinity’s initial 19-man squad.

Full-back Max Jowitt is also added to the 17 on duty last week.

Chase is set to return for Widnes after missing last week’s 40-0 drubbing at Huddersfield Giants.

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Keanan Brand, Eamon O’Carroll and Tom Olbison could also be called up, with Lloyd White and Brad Walker dropping out.

Widnes Vikings: from Brand, Bridge, Buchanan, Burke, Cahill, Chase, Dudson, Heremaia, Houston, Ince, Johnstone, Manuokafoa, Marsh, Mellor, O’Carroll, Olbison, Runciman, Thompson, Whitley.

Wakefield Trinity: from Annakin, Arona, Arundel, Ashurst, Caton-Brown, England, Fifita, Finn, Grix, Hadley, Hirst, Huby, Jones-Bishop, Jowitt, Kirmond, Tupou, Walker, Williams, Wood.

Referee: Chris Kendall (Huddersfield).

Kick-off: Tonight, 8pm.