Wakefield Trinity Boss Confirms Jake Trueman Return Ahead of Leigh Leopards Clash
Wakefield Trinity head coach Daryl Powell has confirmed that half-back Jake Trueman is in line for a return against Leigh Leopards on Sunday afternoon. According to Loverugbyleague.com, Trueman officially joined Trinity from Hull FC midway through the 2024 campaign, but didn’t make his debut for the Belle Vue outfit until their return to Super League had been sealed.
The 26-year-old’s competitive bow for Powell’s side came in an 82-0 Challenge Cup win against League 1 outfit Goole Vikings on February 8. He has taken to the field just five times since then, and just once since a Challenge Cup win at Huddersfield Giants on March 16 which saw him suffer a back injury that has plagued him over the last few months.
As reported by Loverugbyleague.com, prior to the break in the Super League calendar for the Challenge Cup final, Wakefield head coach Powell had circled Sunday’s clash with Leigh as the game Trueman would return. And it looks like that will remain the case, with the Leopards visiting Belle Vue for the second time this season having been the side that knocked Trinity out of the cup in their own backyard at the beginning of April.
Speaking in Thursday afternoon’s pre-match press conference, Powell detailed: “There’ll be one or two (changes to the squad), but it won’t be massively different. The injuries that we’ve got are longer-term, so we’re not going to be too dissimilar. He (Trueman) has trained this week. We’ll see how he goes for the rest of the week now, and there’s potential that he’ll play. We’ll see where he’s at.”
Victory against the Leopards could see Trinity move into the Super League play-offs dependent on results elsewhere, such has been their form since returning to the top flight. At the beginning of the weekend, the West Yorkshire outfit were only kept outside of the top six on points difference having won seven of their first 13 league games this term.
Powell said: “There’s been a real growth of belief of what we can do and growth in the understanding of what depth we’ve got as well with the amount of injuries that we’ve had. Harvey Smith and Josh Rourke are the two examples that stick out. They’ve had a lot of game time and shown that they can do really well at Super League level, and that’s been a big plus for us.”
The news of Trueman’s potential return will come as a boost to Wakefield Trinity fans, who have been eagerly awaiting his comeback. As Loverugbyleague.com reports, Powell will be assessing his squad ahead of the Leigh Leopards clash, and it remains to be seen whether Trueman will make the cut.
The Super League season has been a rollercoaster ride for Wakefield Trinity, with the team experiencing a mix of highs and lows. However, with the return of key players like Trueman, they will be looking to push for a strong finish to the season. As the team prepares to take on Leigh Leopards, fans will be eagerly anticipating the outcome.
The match between Wakefield Trinity and Leigh Leopards is set to be a highly competitive one, with both teams looking to secure a win. According to Loverugbyleague.com, Powell is confident that his team has the depth and belief to secure a victory, and it will be interesting to see how the game unfolds.
