Wakefield Wildcats: Trinity chief Smith aims to take advantage of ‘breath of fresh air’

Wildcats – who have lost their last 16 Super League games – play host to Hull tonight in a re-arranged fixture (8pm), before travelling to KC Stadium on Sunday.

Coach Brian Smith’s side have not played since a 32-12 defeat at Catalans Dragons on June 20 and four players have been added to the squad since then, with all of them in contention to make their debut tonight.

“You don’t get a lot of 10-day breaks,” Smith admitted. “The payback is that we’ve got two games in a few days, but certainly we’ve got truckloads of work done in those 10 days. We feel like we are in a pretty good spot for a really good performance.”

Smith added: “Yesterday’s session was the best we’ve had since I’ve been here. The boys were feeling good about themselves.

“Sometimes a breath of fresh air is all that everyone needs. I hope this 10-day period has given us chance to freshen ourselves up and really have a crack at it.”

Smith revealed he will not field the same side in both this week’s matches.

“Some of our players will get another 10-day break after this game to the Warrington game,” he confirmed. “We intend to utilise as many of our players as we can over these two games.”

Hull forward Jordan Thompson admits: “Wakefield have got a lot of things going on – new signings, a new coach, new everything. They will be coming out to make a statement, but we have to weather that.”

Wakefield Trinity Wildcats (from): Annakin, Arundel, Godinet, Kavanagh, Kirke, Locke, Lyne, McShane, Miller, Molloy, Owen, Ryan, Scruton, Simon, Sio, T Smith, Tansey, Walker, Washbrook.

Hull FC (from): Abdull, Bowden, Ellis, Green, Hadley, Houghton, Lineham, Michaels, Naughton, Paea, Paleaaesina, Rankin, Sa, Shaul, Talanoa, Thompson, Watts, Westerman, Yeaman.