Wakefield Wildcats: Trio back in the fold as Wildcats set to return to full strength for Castleford Tigers derby

Wakefield Trinity Wildcats are set to return to full strength for Friday’s derby clash at Castleford Tigers thanks to the return of three key players from injury.
BACK IN THE FOLD: Wildcats skipper Danny KirmondBACK IN THE FOLD: Wildcats skipper Danny Kirmond
BACK IN THE FOLD: Wildcats skipper Danny Kirmond

Influential half-back Tim Smith, captain Danny Kirmond and powerful prop Andy Raleigh have all been named in Wakefield’s 19-man squad for the trip to the Wish Communications Stadium (kick-off 8pm).

The trio will join Ali Lauitiiti and Justin Poore, who were due to return in last weekend’s postponed match against Leeds Rhinos, in Agar’s squad for the derby tussle.

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Wildcats were keen to get last weekend’s game against Leeds on but the benefit has been a full week’s worth of training to get Wakefield’s injured players ready to face Ian Millward’s men.

“The postponement of the Leeds game has given us a chance for some of the guys that have been missing a chance to get a full weeks training under their belt and should leave us going into the Castleford game a bit fresher” said Agar. “We’ll have to see how that pans out, ideally we would have liked to have got the game on Friday.

“Having said that playing Sunday on a Friday turnaround with another game on Monday is a very heavy workload, we’ll have to catch it up and play that again at some point in the year. We’ll see on Friday if that’s done us a favour or not.

“We knew they were short term injuries with Kirmo (Danny Kirmond) being the longest one that we’ve had after a little bit of surgery. We are picking from a fully fit full strength squad this week so that’s a bonus for us because those players are very, very important for our team and it will be good to get them back.”

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Both sides go into the game looking to bring to an end unwanted winless runs. Wildcats have lost their last four Super League matches while Tigers have failed to win in their last six, picking up just one point against Catalans Dragons from that run.

Wakefield will be looking to make it three wins on the spin at the Wish Communications Stadium having won there on their last two visits.

Wildcats 19-man squad: Mathers, Fox, Collis, L Smith, Cockayne, Sykes, T Smith, Poore, Aiton, Raleigh, Lauitiiti, Kirmond, Washbrook, Wood, Amor, Wilkes, Mellars, Lyne, Annakin.