TRIN TO WIN A PLAY-OFF SPOT AGAINST ODDS
MANY tipped them for a relegation dogfight but Wakefield boss Willie Poching feels his side can still reach the Super League play-offs.
Trinity remain second-bottom but just four points adrift of the top-six heading into this weekend’s round.
They are aiming for a third successive win tomorrow afternoon when they head to Salford, who are level with them in the table.
Wakefield’s upturn in form has seen them pull clear of relegation favourites Toulouse and now Poching wants them aiming high.
Asked if he thinks reaching the playoffs is realistic, the New Zealander insisted: “From where we stand, yes.
“There’s a few teams fighting it out for that fifth and sixth spot.
“The top four are pushing away a little bit but there’s probably six teams fighting for those other two spots.
“There’s 12 games left and anything can happen yet. We just have to look after our bit.”
That starts with beating Salford, who have been wildly unpredictable this term. Wakefield have only won five of their 15 league games. But they showed real character to beat Hull in golden point and then floored Warrington (top left, James Batchelor celebrates) with a late sucker punch last time out.
Poching (right) added: “We’ve had to do it right to the end of games in the last couple and showed resilience.
“If we can do that in the next while we’ll get our fair share of wins and be able to look back on a fair finish.”
Meanwhile, Poching will have a close eye on Salford captain Elijah Taylor tomorrow and not just because of the threat he poses to his team.
The ex-New Zealand loose forward, 32, is out of contract at the end of the season and has been linked with Trinity. Poching has confirmed his interest in the former Penrith Panthers and Wests Tigers star.
He said: “He’s an international, he’s experienced and someone of that quality will always be of interest to us if they can improve our group from within and on the field. We’re playing against him on Sunday. Whatever happens after that, we’ll attack that.”
In-form Kiwi second-row Kenny Edwards, 32, has signed a new threeyear deal with Castleford ahead of tomorrow’s game against his former club Catalans.
Hull KR’s Luis Johnson (torn pectoral) has been ruled out for the season so Fiji prop Korbin Sims comes in for tomorrow’s visit of Huddersfield.