Huddersfield Giants v Wakefield Trinity: Trinity in '˜great position' to take giant leap in '˜the eights' says coach Chris Chester
Trinity finished the regular season in fifth place and Chester is confident there will be no repeat of last year when they lost all seven of their extra fixtures.
“We are a totally different team,” said Chester whose side travel to Huddersfield Giants tonight.
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Hide Ad“Last year the season was pretty much over after one game in the eights – there was no way we could get into the top-four.
“We are in a great position at the moment. Ideally we wanted four home games, that wasn’t to be, but we are level on points with [fourth-placed] Salford and we could go into the top-four with a victory at Huddersfield.
“There’s one point between third, fourth and fifth, that’s how crazy it is. The key thing for us is not relying on other teams. We need to start winning games ourselves.”
Giants staged a late rally to snatch the last place in the top-eight and Chester said: “There’s been two pretty close-fought games against them this season and we’re expecting another tough one.
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Hide Ad“They’ve done fantastic to get into the eight considering the start they had.
“They are a very good side playing pretty good footy and they are a hard team to break down. It’s a big local derby and one we are looking forward to.”
Jacob Miller is set to make his return tonight from the broken leg he suffered in Trinity’s win away to Wigan Warriors at the end of May.
Keegan Hirst, Joe Arundel and Chris Annakin are all in contention for a recall, with Craig Huby and David Fifita dropping out from the team which lost to St Helens two weeks ago.
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Hide AdJordan Turner is available for Giants after a hamstring injury and Daniel Smith, Nathan Mason, Tyler Dickinson and Alex Mellor are also set to return. Martyn Ridyard, Dale Ferguson (both shoulder) and Oliver Roberts drop out.
Huddersfield Giants: from Rankin, Turner, McGillvary, Cudjoe, Gaskell, Brough, Rapira, Hinchcliffe, Wakeman, Leeming, Ikahihifo, Ta’ai, Clough, Mason, Smith, Dickinson, McIntosh, Mellor, O’Brien.
Wakefield Trinity: from Grix, Tupou, Lyne, Jones-Bishop, Miller, Finn, England, Wood, Ashurst, Kirmond, Williams, Arona, Arundel, Hirst, Caton-Brown, Annakin, Hadley, Walker, Hasson.
Referee: Tom Grant (Leeds).
Kick-off: Tonight, 8pm.