Mark Applegarth provides Luke Gale update and reveals boost of new signings

At one point this season it looked like Wakefield Trinity might not win a single game but they snapped that losing streak against Leeds Rhinos and have since beaten both Salford Red Devils and Wigan Warriors, but Sunday presents another huge challenge as Warrington Wolves head to Belle Vue.

Warrington have been in poor form themselves recently and despite topping the table earlier on in the season when they started with eight consecutive wins, they’re now at real risk of falling out of the playoffs all together

Recent form would actually suggest Wakefield should take the win here and it would be a huge one as it could close the gap to Castleford, providing the Tigers don’t get a result on Friday night away to Challenge Cup finalists Hull KR.

When asked about the current state of his squad Mark Applegarth revealed that playmaker Luke Gale should be available, as well as previously suspended Liam Hood.

“I’m hoping so, I’m hoping so but we’ll have to wait and see on Sunday. If he gets some training this week, alright. I’m hoping he’ll be there or thereabouts,” Applegarth said of Gale speaking to BBC West Yorkshire.

“I don’t want to jinx it but he definitely should be back in contention for selection. So I just want to go and get any hiccups between now and Sunday’s game.”

On Hood, he explained: “Yes, yes, so we had that one game, so he served that in the reserve game last week, so he’ll be in contention for selection as well.”

One man who isn’t available is new signing Josh Griffin, the former Hull FC man still serving a suspension, however it was revealed he’s provided a boost to morale.

“Yeah, he looks quality, just exactly what I was expecting. Not only what he does on the field, he looks after himself off it, he speaks well in video, when he speaks people listen, he’s not one of these that will just speak for sake of speaking, so I’m really happy we’ve got him on board.

“Again, we could use one of the reserve games last week towards his ban, so I think he’s got two more games to serve now, if my maths is right, so I’m looking forward to seeing him when he’s available for selection as well. He’s trained really well.”

That would see Griffin back in time to face former club Castleford Tigers in what is being dubbed a huge potential relegation Grand Final.

Another man who could be back for that is Kelepi Tanginoa whilst French recruit Romain Franco could feature sooner.

“Yeah, Kelepei’s got his cast off now. So we’re just waiting for the okay off the consultant, you know, in terms of making sure that everything’s good there in terms of the bones healed well and everything’s, you know, how it should be.

“Hopefully over the next three to four weeks, you know, that’s a rough estimate.

“Then Romain, I think the after the Hull game should be a realistic target for Romain. He’s back in training now, we’re just going to start integrating him back into contact. We’ve had to manage that conservatively, he’s had no surgery on it.

“It’s just that case now, we’re being smart with it and making sure we don’t just throw him straight in the deep end and we’re back at square one and we’re just going to build his contact up over two weeks.”