Wakefield Trinity hit by injury blow ahead of Wigan Warriors clash

DOUBTFUL: Wakefield Trinity captain Jacob Miller. Picture: Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com

Head coach Chris Chester has just 17 fit players for the contest, with injuries and international call-ups leaving Trinity with a severely depleted squad.

Reece Lyne and Joe Westerman have been named in Shaun Wane's 19-man England side while Kelepi Tanginoa and Liam Kay will represent the Combined Nations All Stars in Friday night's test.

Miller picked up a knock in the final stages of last week's defeat to Castleford Tigers and Chester says he will not risk the half-back if he is not 100 per cent fit.

"We have got 17 players for this week. Jacob Miller is a massive, massive doubt," revealed Chester.

"It has been really difficult to plan anything this week. There are a lot of teams going through it.

"We have said we will give Milky until gameday tomorrow to prove his fitness. Thinking about next week, if he is not 100 per cent fit, he is not going to play."

David Fifita had been asked to play for the All Stars this week but Wakefield did not release the forward as he is currently playing through an injury.

"We don't want to stand in the way of any player but we had to stand in the way of Dave Fifita because he is not training during the week but is getting jabbed up to play on the weekend," added Chester.

"He will play for us this weekend. Dave does very little during the week because he has got an injury that we have to manage until the end of the season."

Meanwhile, Bill Tupou has undergone a successful operation on a patellar tendon injury that he picked up during last week's defeat to Castleford Tigers.

The Wakefield Trinity centre is expected to be out for six months, meaning he will not play again this season.

Chester added: "He has been operated on. That rules him out for a substantial period, we are hopeful he should get back in that six-month period.

"It is tough on Bill. We were just starting to see the best of him again, it is such a cruel thing to happen. We are all disappointed for Bill but he will back before the start of next season."