WAKEFIELD TRINITY will be without Jazz Tevaga for at least a month due to a knee injury.
The Samoan international was already unavailable for Saturday’s home clash with Bradford Bulls, and the trip to St Helens seven days later, due to suspension.
Tevaga was given a two-game ban by the match review panel for a kick out at Wigan Warriors’ Liam Marshall during last Sunday’s Challenge Cup quarter-final defeat.
Wakefield coach Daryl Powell says his loose-forward suffered the injury in the challenge that led to that offence.
“He’s going to be out for longer than (the ban) with the injury he sustained in the incident – that’s a four-to-six-week injury,” said Powell.
“He’s hyperextended his knee. He’s in a brace at the moment. Hopefully it doesn’t have a big impact on Jazz’s season.”
Powell wants Tevaga to return a more calm player after admitting he can cross the disciplinary line.
“We have had a chat, but I don’t think we needed it to be honest,” said the coach.
“He knows, he’s been around a long time. Some players play closer to the line than others.
“Sometimes he steps over it. We want to keep him on the right side of the law and if we do that he’ll be massive for us.
“Jazz has got a period out of the game now. He needs to cool his head down, then he’ll come back in and be an awesome player for us for the rest of the year.”
Powell has backed Jay Pitts to do an “awesome job” at loose-forward in Tevaga’s absence, and has also shrugged off the loss of back-rower Isaiah Vagana to injury.
“Isaiah played on last week with a bit of a shoulder problem and a bit of an ankle problem,” explained Powell.
“He’s had scans and there’s nothing in either of them, but he probably misses a couple of weeks.
“It gives an opportunity for Matty Storton and Seth (Nikotemo) to play really well in the back row. He (Vagana) will be a big miss for us but those guys minimise that with how good they are.”
Prop Caius Faatili is also back available to face Bradford.