Wakefield Trinity coach issues comprehensive injury update as ‘bare-bones’ admission made

Wakefield Trinity assistant coach Michael Shenton has admitted the club are still at ‘bare bones’, despite duo Matty Russell and Seth Nikotemo being back in the selection mix.

Daryl Powell’s side are in the midst of a major injury crisis, with the likes of Caleb Hamlin-Uele, Renouf Atoni and Olly Russell, just to name a few, all currently on the sidelines.

Wakefield Trinity at ‘bare bones’ despite return of Matty Russell

Speaking to the media ahead of his side’s clash with Warrington, Shenton admitted the club are not through their injury plague despite the return of former Wire winger Russell and off-season recruit Nikotemo.

“I don’t think we’ll change too much (from the squad that beat Castleford Tigers at Magic Weekend), we haven’t got too many coming back. Matty Russell is back in the mix, but most of our injuries are long-term. We’re at least a good few weeks away from anyone else coming back in, and pack-wise a few months away.”

“We’re at bare-bones a little bit.”

The pair were both named in Wakefield’s 21-man squad for the trip to Newcastle, but were later omitted from the 17, but Shenton feels they are in a better position to make the team this time around after that extra week off.

“We’re still making a call on those guys (Russell and Nikotemo), but they’re in the mix. They’re still returning from injury as well, so it just depends on where they are, but I’d expect them to feature in the next couple of weeks.”

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On top of those two, Shenton offered further updates on half-back Olly Russell and hooker Tommy Doyle, who again have missed considerable chunks of the season thus far.

“Olly Russell isn’t too far away, but he’s got a broken hand, so that’ll take as long as it takes and when the surgeon says he’s good to go and Tommy Doyle started the season, and he won’t be too far away. He had shoulder surgery in the off-season, though, and we rushed him back, so he hasn’t had a full pre-season. We want him to get himself properly right to go, so then he can have a good look at it.”

“It’s brutal, but those are the two next to be back.”

While these will be welcome returns as and when they come back into contention, that isn’t the end of Wakefield’s injury crisis.

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Atoni is expected to be out for at least three months still, but it’s Hamlin-Uele who is causing the biggest headaches with the forward still under a cloud regarding his possible return after suffering a nerve injury in his shoulder.

“Caleb is a mystery one because it’s a nerve issue, and until he starts firing back up it would be irresponsible to play him. He’s a massive loss for us, he’s been fantastic for us (since joining last season) and I think he would have caught everyone by surprise.”

“I think it’s settled down (from a pain perspective), but when it’s not firing it’s not protecting itself and he’s not using it properly, so we can’t put him out there.”

“It’s frustrating because players want to know timescales and set goals, and it’s the same from our point of view too, but with that one, we’ve got to look after him.

“We’ve got to play it by ear.”

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