Hull FC v Wakefield Trinity: Willie Poching challenges players to kick on from Wigan Warriors win
and live on Freeview channel 276
With four games left, Trinity are four points clear of Betfred Super League’s bottom club Toulouse Olympique and have a better for and against.
Last week’s shock home win over Wigan Warriors took the pressure off Trinity ahead of Friday’s visit to Hull FC and the aim now is to finish on a high.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide Ad“We want to go after as many wins as we can,” Poching insisted.
“Every time we cross the whitewash we want to apply ourselves and give ourselves every opportunity we can to come away with the two points.
“We’ve given up enough of those this year already.”
Trinity are in the rare position of being in better form, with a healthier squad, than their opponents who were embarrassed 60-6 at home by St Helens last Sunday.
Poching said: “There was some excitement Monday morning.
“Everyone walked into rehab’ with a bit more of a spring in their step and a bit more jovial, which is what you want.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide Ad“They deserve to be happy and to enjoy the work and effort they put in.
“That was the proudest thing, they all, to a man, had a dig for each other.”
But the coach warned: “We have got to try and stay composed and keep our feet on the ground.
“We’ve spoken about keeping ourselves level-headed and - with a short turnaround - doing the right amount of work, not too much and not too little.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide Ad“We’ve got to get that right so we can exert ourselves the right way on Friday night.
“Hull will be hurting from their last time out and we’ve got to be careful and make sure we start well,”
Poching recalled: “A couple of weeks ago we had a really good win against Castleford and then came up against a depleted Catalans team and we got caught on the hop at the start of the game.
“We can’t afford to be surprised or to allow teams to get the jump on us.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide Ad“We have got to try and get in the driver’s seat as quickly as we can.”
Trinity are without James Batchelor who sustained a hamstring injury last week and fellow forward Kelepi Tanginoa is suspended.
On-loan Jamie Shaul isn’t allowed to play against his former club, but Max Jowitt will return from a hamstring injury to replace him at full-back and Liam Hood, Jack Croft, Harry Bowes, Rob Butler, David Fifita and Kyle Evans are in contention for a recall.
Hull’s on-loan Leeds Rhinos full-back Jack Walker suffered a season-ending foot injury last week.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdDarnell McIntosh has also joined the casualty list and Jake Connor and Kane Evans are both suspended, but Ligi Sao is available after a ban, Manu Ma’u could return from a hamstring injury and teenagers Lewis Martin and Kye Armstrong have been drafted into the initial squad.
Hull FC: from Gale, Sao, Houghton, Satae, Ma’u, Lane, Lovodua, Fash, McNamara, Johnstone, Wynne, Vulikijapani, Taylor, Barron, Balmforth, Litten, Laidlaw, Longstaff, Martin, Smith, Armstrong.
Wakefield Trinity: from Jowitt, Miller, Lino, Battye, Hood, Arona, Ashurst, Crowther, Whitbread, Gaskell, Kershaw, Croft, Walker, Aydin, Bowes, Murphy, Hall, Butler, Fifita, Evans, Bowden.
Referee: Liam Moore (Wigan).
Kick-off: Friday, 8pm.