Wakefield Trinity will be without four of their top-20 squad numbers for Saturday’s Super League opener at Leeds Rhinos, but coach Daryl Powell says they are in good shape.
Recruits Cam Scott and Seth Nikotemo are unavailable, along with Renouf Atoni – who featured in last October’s Championship Grand Final win against Toulouse Olympique – and Josh Griffin.
The better news for Trinity is the return of Isaiah Vagana, who missed last Saturday’s 82-0 Challenge Cup drubbing of Goole Vikings through injury.
“Renouf Atoni has had a bit of a calf problem for a few weeks and Josh Griffin had an operation on his groin in the off-season,” Powell told Serious About Rugby League.
“Seth Nikotemo broke his thumb, his scaphoid, against Castleford [in a pre-season game] and Cam Scott has a hamstring, but we are all right – it is what it is.
“There’s a few teams that are pretty tidy – Hull KR look like they’ve got a clean bill of health and Wigan aren’t too far off – but most teams have got a few bits and bobs.”
Powell confirmed he hopes Atoni will be available for next Thursday’s home game against Hull KR or the visit of St Helens on March 1, while Griffin is facing an estimated three more weeks on the sidelines.
He added: “Nikotemo will be a minimum of eight weeks. It’s a very difficult healing process with scaphoids, so we’ll have to wait and see when he gets his pot off and re-scanned. Scott is going to be six-eight weeks, it’s not a great injury, that one.”
Meanwhile, Powell declined to comment on reports Wakefield Trinity have signed Brisbane Broncos hooker Tyson Smoothy on a deal that is due to begin next season.
Powell said: “We’ll talk about people we are signing when we’re ready to talk about them.”
