Wakefield Trinity centre Corey Hall is facing up to six weeks on the sidelines after injuring his ankle in last weekend's win over Hull KR, a setback that leaves Daryl Powell short of options before Friday's clash with Wigan Warriors.
The 23-year-old suffered ligament damage in the victory over the Super League champions and does not need surgery, but Powell said the syndesmosis injury came early in the game and will keep him out for maybe six weeks. That rules Hall out of a run of fixtures at a time when Trinity are trying to keep their push near the top of Super League moving.
The timing matters because Wakefield are not just in form, they are making a statement. They have nine wins from 13 matches, sit third in the table and are only two points behind leaders Leeds Rhinos, with round 14 arriving this weekend and the season already halfway to its regular-season finish.
Powell is now juggling more than one absence. Mason Lino misses the Wigan game with a calf problem, Jazz Tevaga is suspended, and Josh Rourke and Olly Pratt both remain injury doubts. The coach admitted the week had become more awkward after everyone had trained last week, only for one game to alter the picture so quickly.
That is the problem for Trinity: the results have put them in a strong position, but the squad is being tested just as the fixtures sharpen. Powell said they have players coming back into the team who are ready to go and of high quality, yet Friday's visit from sixth-placed Wigan at the DIY Kitchens Stadium still leaves him waiting on late fitness tests before he knows exactly who will be available. Hall's absence is likely to be the one Wakefield feel longest.
