Wakefield Trinity boss Mark Applegarth issues defiant response to latest loss as Willie Peters provides Ryan Hall update

Trinity find themselves bottom of the Super League table amid an injury crisis that has robbed Applegarth of a whole host of influential players.

Wakefield were well beaten by the Robins on Friday night but a defiant Applegarth is convinced brighter days are ahead.

"If you look at the players we've had out in key positions with a squad that was as skinny as ours, it's hit us hard," said the Trinity boss.

"I can't knock the lads who have stepped up for effort. It'll bode well for their future careers in years to come.

"But where we're at, we'll need some of our senior heads back who know what this league is like week in, week out and start putting some points on the board.

"Rain or shine, I'll be here giving it 100 per cent. It's tough and it stings but that's how you learn a lot about yourself.

"You've got to have self-belief and I've got that. We'll come good."

Much of the talk in the build-up centred around the controversial hybrid pitch at Belle Vue but Rovers parked their concerns to deliver a professional performance that ended their three-match losing run.

KR head coach Willie Peters felt the 34-6 victory was a step in the right direction for his team.

"When I took over the role late last year, I was reminded a fair few times about us losing here," he said.

"For me, that's a mentality. It is a hard place to play. I played here many moons ago now and it was always a hard place to come and play.

"No disrespect but the dressing rooms aren't as big as other dressing rooms and you can easily get caught into making excuses and looking for ways out.

"I told the players that when we do have a bit of adversity against us it's about how we react and we came with the right mentality."

On the surface, he added: "I don't want to get too much into it.

"Are they feeling the impact of the pitch? Yeah they are but they got through it and there were no major concerns.

"We needed to win tonight; if we'd lost, it wouldn't have put us in a good position.

"There was a lot of talk around the pitch but once the independent person said the pitch was fine, we didn't worry about it too much.

"Yes there are some scratches and some guys are feeling it but it is what it is."

Experienced winger Ryan Hall had to be helped from the field with a knee injury but Peters did not want to get drawn into whether the surface played a part.

The Australian is hopeful that Hall avoided serious damage.

"I don't know a great deal," said Peters.

"We are going for scans. I'm hoping it's nothing major.

"We aren't sure what exactly the injury is but there's an injury there for sure.

"It's his knee but we will know more soon. It doesn't look like anything major but I'd say it'll be a few weeks out.”