Wakefield Trinity coach Willie Poching has vowed to fight until the end to keep the club in Super League.
They spent the week leading into Sunday’s game against St Helens at the bottom of the table for the first time this year, with relegation rivals Toulouse Olympique above them on points difference.
And, having led for much of the match, they went into golden-point extra-time against Saints before losing to a Jack Welsby field-goal.
A daunting fixture list still includes further meetings with each of the top four teams in Super League in the final seven games.
But Poching declared: “We will fight until we can’t fight no more, and we’re in the clear.”
Wakefield have worked hard off the field to improve their chances of survival, bringing Jamie Shaul on loan from Hull FC for the rest of the year to cover for regular fullback Max Jowitt, who is out for a month with a hamstring strain.
Poching said of Shaul, who debuted against Saints: ”We’re grateful that (Hull) have allowed us to bring him over and we’re excited to have him in the backfield for us. He knows the game and he knows the position.
“I didn’t know a lot about the person and the character but he’s a lively fella, he’s full of energy off the field and he’s brought that to us on the field as well.”
Yusuf Aydin comes back into contention for Friday’s derby at Castleford Tigers after two weeks on loan at Leeds Rhinos.
The young prop is out of contract at the end of the season but Poching said Wakefield had made him a fresh offer.
“I think it’s been a great experience for him going over (to Leeds), but we need him here, we need him back within our group,” said the Trinity coach.
Jowitt was not the only injury blow last week as backrower Jay Pitts, an ever-present this year, is out for the run-in with a hand fracture.
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