Wakefield coach Chris Chester has paid tribute to efforts across Super League to ensure the 2020 season is finished.
Trinity are one of a host of teams that have chosen not to forfeit games when they could have done under new rules put in place due to Covid-19 this season.
They were down to their last 14 fully fit players for the first of two clashes with St Helens earlier this month, while other clubs have taken matches at short notice or with significant sections of their squad unavailable.
Chester said: “It’s been fantastic – everybody is in the same boat and we all know how important the Sky deal is, and how important it is as a club that we fulfil all our fixtures.
“It’s inevitable that there will be some rebate paid to Sky and I’m led to believe that will be £250,000 to £300,000.
“We’ll have to find that money somewhere and it will probably come out of our budget,
“Whatever the figure is, we as a club and the whole of Super League have been doing everything we possibly can.
“We know we can’t afford to lose that TV money, and as a collective in Super League I’m very proud of what everyone has done since they’ve come back.
“It’s not been easy but we understand how important it is.
“Fingers crossed we can get to the end of the season without any more infections and positive tests, although looking at the outside world at the moment that looks highly unlikely.
“But everyone is working really hard to fulfil those fixtures, even if it means bringing some kids in to help.
“It got to the point last week that we had three kids from the Academy training with us because we weren’t sure whether we’d be able to field a team. But it’s needs must at the moment.”
Chester says the players at Wakefield bought into the ethos as soon as the implications of not finishing this season were made clear by chief executive Michael Carter.
Chester added: “As soon as relegation was off the cards, Michael had a meeting with the rest of the boys and told us how important it was.
“It was the right thing to do as a club, and the players knew very early doors what the effect of not fulfilling the fixtures would be.
“I think the players have been fantastic throughout, they’ve been doing the right thing here and at home.”
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