Wakefield Trinity boss Daryl Powell has confirmed that star winger Tom Johnstone will feature this week in the Challenge Cup against Leeds Rhinos.
Johnstone last played competitive rugby in the Ashes series last Autumn, featuring in all three Test matches for England against Australia.
Trinity’s highest-ever Super League try scorer delayed having a medical procedure on a hernia in order to feature on the international stage, before he then underwent a knee operation in February, which has forced him to miss the opening part of the regular season.
After being named in the 21-man squad for the first time this season, Powell confirmed to the press today, Thursday, that Johnstone will play against the Rhinos, in what is a huge boost for the side.
The boss said: “He’s back, he’s been building up towards this for the last few weeks. He had a minor operation about three-and-a-half weeks ago, and he’s ready to go.
“[It’s a boost] not just for him but for the whole team. He’s an international quality player, so it’s great to have him back in and around the squad.”
“This is a big game for us, so it’s great to have him back… and I look forward to seeing him play.”
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Two men who won’t feature this week are hooker Tyson Smoothy and half-back Mason Lino, both of whom are sidelined through injury.
Smoothy suffered a HIA in defeat to Warrington Wolves, and despite the 11-day protocol ending earlier this week, the NRL Grand Final winner is not ready to return, and will again be sat on the sidelines.
“The symptoms that he has has kept him out for this week as well, but he’ll be alright for next week,” Powell revealed.
Lino meanwhile, has been missing since round one with a hamstring issue, and the boss has revealed that the ex-New Zealand Warriors man will be looking at a few more weeks in the physio room before he can return to play.
“It’s a re-injury, really,” explained the Wakefield coach. “It’s in a slightly different site, but the same leg.
“It looked like he was okay, but it’s just something else that’s cropped up there.
“At the end of the day, we’ve got two half-backs who are playing pretty well, and we’d like to get Mason right before he comes back in.”
