Wakefield Trinity v Catalans Dragons: No panic stations at Wakefield admits Danny Kirmond
Kirmond has been ruled out of the Betfred Super League round three fixture after suffering a biceps injury in Trinity’s last-gasp home defeat by St Helens two weeks ago.
That was his return from knee damage picked up last summer amd Kirmond is hopeful his latest setback will not mean another long-term layoff.
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Hide Ad“It’s not too bad, I’ve just got a little tear in there and done something to the tendon,” he said of the arm damage.
“It’s pretty sore, which is frustrating. I did it early on, I tried to get through it, but in the end it was just too much and I was in quite a bit of pain with it.
“It was more frustration on my own part really because I felt like I was going all right and the team were playing well. I was enjoying being back out there.”
The Saints game was Kirmond’s first in Super League since last June, when he was hurt in a win over Widnes Vikings. He said: “I was excited to be part of the team again.
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Hide Ad“It’s really tough being injured, it is a weird time, training on your own and you don’t get out on the field with the boys so much. Ultimately what we do is a hobby, something you love doing so when you’re not getting the chance to do that it’s really frustrating.
“There were some dark days in my recovery, but to get back out there felt really good and I was buzzing for it. I felt like a 21-year-old.”
Trinity have lost both their opening matches and Catalans will pose another tough challenge.
“As long as you’ve not got a win the pressure builds on everyone,” Kirmond admitted. “I think to get that first win would ease that.
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Hide Ad“I think we are a team that we can deal with pressure, you could see that last year. We started all right then we lost quite a few games in a row.
“We’ve been in that situation before, but we are three games in and we’re not too worried.
“There’s no panic stations, but we want to get that first win. We’ve wanted to do that for the last two weeks.
“I think we were unlucky against Saints and it would be nice to get that this week, but Catalans are a really dangerous team and we’ll have to be on our best performance to get the two points.”
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Hide AdCraig Huby also misses out after dislocating a shoulder against Saints, but James Batchelor is available following injury and Keegan Hirst, Jordan Crowther and Joe Arundel are vying for a call-up.
Davod Mead, Ben Garcia and Antoni Maria are back in Catalans’ squad and Fouad Yaha, resigned from rugby union, will be added if his registration is cleared in time.
Wakefield Trinity: from Arona, Arundel, Ashurst, Batchelor, Brough, Crowther, England, Fifita, Hampshire, Hirst, Horo, Johnstone, Jones-Bishop, King, Kopczak, Lyne, Miller, Tupou, Wood.
Catalans Dragons: from Gigot, Mead, Wiliame, Tierney, Langi, Smith, Casty, McIlorum, Moa, Edwards, Garcia, Simon, Jullien, Whitley, Goudemand, Maria, Baitieri, Tomkins.
Referee: Chris Kendall (Huddersfield).
Kick-off: Tomorrow, 7.45pm.