Versatile new signing Lee Gaskell could get the chance to make an early impression in a pivotal position at Wakefield.
The former Huddersfield man, who has signed a two-year Trinity deal, has played a variety of roles at the back over a career that started at St Helens and has also included a stint at Bradford as well as a loan spell at Salford.
That flexibility appealed to Wakefield, and with Mason Lino a doubt for the opening Super League game at home to Hull on Sunday week, February 13, 31-year-old Gaskell may play alongside skipper Jacob Miller in the halves.
Samoa international scrum-half Lino played in all but one of Trinity’s 25 matches last year, his first at the club after signing from Newcastle Knights on a three-year contract.
The ex-New Zealand Warriors player, who will be 28 on Friday, crossed for six tries and kicked 76 goals and one field-goal.
But Lino, who came through the Warriors’ development system to make 34 NRL appearances for his two clubs, has missed all three of Wakefield’s pre-season games, against Leeds, Halifax and Featherstone (Trinity also sent a development side to Oldham) with what coach Willie Poching has called “one niggle or another”.
Poching played ex-Widnes man Brad Walker, normally a loose-forward, alongside Gaskell in the Boxing Day clash at Leeds, Miller and Walker in Scott Grix’s testimonial at Halifax and Miller and Gaskell at Featherstone, where Trinity lost 22-18.
The Wakefield coach, who is approaching his first full campaign, called it a “blip”, pointing out: “That’s what pre-season is for, to iron things out. We are on course, but we need to use it as a wake-up call.”
Poching will take his players on a team-bonding trip to the Peak District before the Hull clash.
“It’s a mini-camp so we can spend some time together and do some team activities,” he explained.
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