Wakefield Trinity host Catalans Dragons on Friday night in a massive game at Belle Vue with the home side knowing that they need to pick up two points at some stage in their final three games, whilst Catalans will be looking to snap their two game losing run in a bid to return to the top of the table.
The Dragons have been beaten in their past two by title rivals Wigan Warriors who hammered the French side in Perpignan by a score of 34-0 before Hull KR defeated Steve McNamara’s men 26-18 in Hull last week.
That’s seen the Dragons slip to second in the table, behind Wigan on points difference, and ahead of St Helens in third on points difference.
Facing a Wakefield side at the bottom of the table it could be a prime chance to boost their points difference, having already beaten Trinity 36-6 and 38-24 this season.
Catalans saw Fouad Yaha return last week in cover of Tom Johnstone who had failed a HIA against Wigan, but Johnstone returns to face his former club this Friday night as he also looks to return to top of the Super League try scoring chart.
Johnstone’s return is one of two changes as he and CΓ©sar RougΓ© replace Tyrone May and Matthieu Laguerre.
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Steve McNamara a dΓ©voilΓ© son groupe pour le dΓ©placement Γ @WTrinityRLπ«π· https://t.co/xWV8Z5qj7Q
π¬π§ https://t.co/nHtpV6Gtk8 pic.twitter.com/e3xmPVZNfn— Dragons Catalans (@DragonsOfficiel) September 6, 2023
As for Wakefield they’re aiming to avoid a fifth straight defeat and pull level on points with relegation rivals Castleford but they’ll be without Will Dagger who reportedly broke his collarbone against St Helens, and will miss the rest of the season.
David Fifita has confirmed that he will retire at the end of the season but he features on Friday night, in spite of the fact that his wife is currently pregnant down under.
Mark Applegarth’s squad sees Tom Lineham named after the winger missed the game last week, and with Dagger’s absence and the long term injury to Samisoni Langi it means that the centres will likely be Josh Griffin and Jack Croft.
https://twitter.com/WTrinityRL/status/1699376910134825056?s=20
Luke Gale will likely once again partner Mason Lino in the halves with the returning Max Jowitt a major boost at the full-back position.
French duo Hugo Salabio and Romain Franco miss out.
