Trinity must reboot says Wood to '˜turn it on again' at Hull
Trinity won their opening four games in Betfred Super League, but will travel to Hull tomorrow on a three-match losing run which has seen them slip to seventh.
“It becomes really important now,” Wood said of tomorrow’s game. “We probably have to get that win to get our season going again. We had a good start, but we need to pick it back up now.”
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Hide AdTrinity dominated the second half of last Thursday’s 11-6 loss to Castleford Tigers, but two penalties and a drop goal proved the difference between the sides.
“We gave it our all, but we just gave penalties away at the wrong time,” Wood reflected. “We gave them piggy-backs up the field and just couldn’t find that last pass at the other end to get over the line.”
Wood reckons Hull, who are one place above Trinity on points difference, have been “up and down” this year, but he warned: “They are still a very good team. We know we’ll be up for a big challenge especially over there. We have to recover well and go there and do our best to get a win.”
Coach Chris Chester will field a much-changed side tomorrow. Max Jowitt, Jordan Crowther, James Batchelor and Chris Annakin could all make their first appearances of the season and Joe Arundel, Jordan Baldwinson, Mason Caton-Brown and Ryan Hampshire are set for a recall.
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Hide AdScott Grix, Ben Jones-Bishop, Liam Finn, Anthony England, Justin Horo and David Fifita all drop out. Wood was back in Trinity’s 17 for the Castleford game after being rested the week before against Warrington. And he conceded: “I don’t like having rests, especially not three or four games into the season, but it is what it is. When I get the chance to play I know I have to play the best I can. I’m happy, though. It’s a team sport and we’ll probably need players ready across the entire season.
“Hopefully by the end of the year we’ll have more fresh bodies than anyone else by doing this where we rest people – then that will get us the wins at the back end of the season.”
Full-back Hakim Miloudi is in contention for his Hull debut and youngsters Jack Logan and Jansin Turgut have also come into the squad. Jamie Shaul, Carlos Tuimavave and Jordan Lane are all rested after the Good Friday win over Hull Kingston Rovers.
Hull: from Faraimo, Griffin, Talanoa, Kelly, Sneyd, Taylor, Houghton, Minichiello, Bowden, Connor, Green, Abdull, Washbrook, Fash, Paea, Logan, Turgut, Miloudi, Matongo.
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Hide AdWakefield Trinity: from Annakin, Arona, Arundel, Ashurst, Baldwinson, Batchelor, Caton-Brown, Crowther, Hampshire, Hirst, Huby, Johnstone, Jowitt, Lyne, Miller, Pauli, Randell, Tupou, Wood.
Referee: Liam Moore (Wigan).
Kick-off: Today, 3pm.