Warning issued to Wakefield Trinity as they begin to feel heat

CENTRE REECE Lyne has warned Wakefield Trinity are in danger of falling into “a big hole” if they don’t quickly regain some form.
Wakefield Trinity's Reece Lyne.
 Picture Jonathan GawthorpeWakefield Trinity's Reece Lyne.
 Picture Jonathan Gawthorpe
Wakefield Trinity's Reece Lyne. Picture Jonathan Gawthorpe

The 44-20 reverse at Salford Red Devils two days ago was Trinity’s fifth successive defeat and fourth in a row in Betfred Super League.

They have slumped to eighth in the table and Lyne admitted: “I think we’ve been pretty poor for the last four weeks, to be honest.”

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He said: “Obviously we are low on troops, but we need to be a lot tougher than what we are showing at the minute.

“We find ourselves in a bit of a battle now, closer to the bottom than we are to the top so it is massively disappointing.”

Trinity are still only one win outside the top-five, but the gap between them and 12th-placed London Broncos is down to just four points with 11 games remaining.

“It is really tight,” Lyne noted. “We are struggling with form and confidence and we will find ourselves in a big hole if we don’t turn it around.

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“It doesn’t get any easier, Warrington away on Friday, so it is a big challenge, but we have got to step up to it.”

Big prop David Fifita could be available this week after three matches on the sidelines due to a foot injury, but Tyler Randell (concussion) and Danny Kirmond (knee) suffered knocks at Salford.

Lyne added: “When you’ve got the quality that we have sat on the sidelines - especially when you probably don’t spend the full salary cap - it does have a big impact.

“But we are a Super League team so the people who come in have got to step up and get the job done.

“It has just not been good enough.”

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Even with key players missing, Lyne insisted the players available should be capable of picking up wins if they play to their potential.

“It is just a matter of getting out there and putting a performance in,” he stressed.

“I thought we had a good week at training, but I think all season we haven’t got that complete 80-minute performance.

“We’ve been good in bits, but really off in other parts.”

Trinity led 6-4 for a brief spell in the first half at Salford, but were 20-6 adrift at half-time.

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The second 40 was more even with Trinity remaining in touching distance until Salford’s Niall Evalds completed his hat-trick with back-to-back tries late on.

“Spirit and all that has got to be the bare minimum at this level,” Lyne said.

“It’s no good if you are not good with your D [defence] and controlling the ball.

“Our completions must have been at about 50-60 per cent and we are just not good enough to compete if we are not at the high 80s.

“That’s where it is going wrong.”

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Improving form from the bottom two of London Broncos and Hull KR has turned up the heat on the teams above them and set up a tense finale to the campaign.

Lyne warned: “Every game is tough. London are turning up and working hard for each other and I think we’ve got to take a leaf out of their book.

“Warrington are second in the league so it’s not going to get any easier.

“I don’t think we’ve got many troops coming back so we’ve just got to find a way to get out of this.”