Wakefield Trinity set for spine shake-up as Powell offers injury update and confirms debut

Wakefield Trinity could see their spine shaken up on Friday night against St Helens on account of injuries, according to Daryl Powell.

Speaking to the media ahead of Friday night’s game trip to St Helens, Powell provided an injury update on a number of his key players with two of those being among the club’s spine.

Max Jowitt, who missed out last week could feature against Saints with the Wakefield boss admitting that the full-back will be a “late call”, as well as revealing that he may be thrust into the halves.

Powell explained: “He’s just been going through a process of getting ready to play. He was getting a lot of aching pain after he was exercising so it’s been building up through the process of getting running.

“He’ll be a late call, Max, but he’s run again today which is great so he’ll either be this week or next week but it’s good to have it looking like he’s going to be back.”

Wish Josh Rourke having deputised at full-back and Wakefield losing Olly Russell to a broken hand that he sustained against Leigh, Jowitt could be thrust into the halves for Trinity.

“That’s an option for us, yes,” Powell confirmed.

“Obviously, with Olly Russell getting injured last week, we’ve had to sort of reshuffle a fair bit there, which happens, but it’s put us under a little bit of pressure so that’s certainly been an option for us.”

Wakefield Trinity boss gives update on injured quartet

🔙 Three changes for Trinity as we get ready to take on @Saints1890!

➡️ Max Jowitt, Seth Nikotemo, Jayden Myers
⬅️ Oliver Russell, Josh Griffin, Matty Russell

👉🏻 https://t.co/kf7ViVeoo4#UpTheTrin pic.twitter.com/RxfVWOrq5b

— Wakefield Trinity (@WTrinityRL) April 9, 2025

Powell had confirmed Russell’ injury in the immediate aftermath of last Friday’s loss to Leigh Leopards, confirming the ex-Huddersfield man to have broken his hand but there was a further update.

The Wakefield Trinity boss revealed: “He had an operation on Tuesday to repair his hand, so you’re talking anything up to 10 weeks I would say with those sorts of things. Hopefully everything goes smooth and he gets out of that. He’s available again in 8-10 weeks but it’s very difficult to know with those sorts of injuries.”

Olly wasn’t the only Russell to suffer broken bones last week with outside back Matty suffering a rib injury which Powell confirmed had prevented him from training this week.

“Three or four weeks I think,” Powell said in regards to a timeline for the ex-Warrington winger.

“He’s pretty sore. He didn’t come into training the other day, struggling to move really. He’s pretty good out there, it’s pretty tough for him to get through the game the way he did.”

Another man who was a casualty last week was Josh Griffin, albeit he pulled up with a hamstring injury before the game, but the veteran has not had time to recover.

On Griffin, Powell explained: “He has run today, it was just a little bit early for him this game. It’s more coming from his back, but then just getting out of that and feeling comfortable with his hamstring. Through the week, he hasn’t really done that much but then his run today and he’s got through that OK, so I’m expecting him to be available for selection next week.”

His absence could spell an opportunity for signing Seth Nikotemo to make his Super League debut with the forward named in the 21-man squad after returning from injury.

“Seth will be in and amongst it tomorrow,” Powell confirmed, revealing that the 21-year-old’s family were in the UK and could watch him debut.

“It’s a great opportunity for him. I thought he was really good in pre-season, looked class, the game that he did play and then he gets the injury which keeps him out for a while. I’m looking forward to seeing him play, I just think he’s one of those young overseas players that we’ve got, that have got so much potential in them.”