Wakefield Trinity head coach Willie Poching says that Tom Johnstone and Bill Tupou remain a few weeks away from returning to the team.
Johnstone has been absent since picking up a groin issue last month, the latest in a long line of setbacks for the talented winger.
“We know it will definitely be a couple of weeks,” said Poching of his injury. “Week to week it’s about seeing him improve, seeing how comfortable he gets. We can’t push him because the outcome could be something more severe.”
Tupou is returning from a long-term absence, having been out for almost a year because of a ruptured patella tendon.
The centre played for Wakefield’s Reserves last week but, like Johnstone, he will likely not feature in Super League until after this month’s international break.
“We could see the glimpses of his class in training leading up to it,” said Poching of Tupou’s return. “He was excited just to be amongst the team and training again.
“He got through the Reserves game, he took a little knock on the knee but it’s not too bad. We’ll see how he pulls up in the next week or two.”
Wakefield also have a fresh concern over winger or hooker Liam Kay, who took a knock in training earlier this week, ahead of the visit of Hull FC on Sunday.
Trinity are second-bottom in the table after a six-match losing streak – seven in all competitions – and Poching explained why the Trinity squad have not had too much of a break over the Challenge Cup final week.
He said: “We’ve not had much time off. We felt it was necessary and we used the time wisely. It’s been valuable time for us.”
