Wakefield look to thrive in adversity at St Helens

Wakefield Trinity will combine the unusual sensation of travelling to St Helens as unbeaten Super League leaders tomorrow night with the more familiar feeling of coping with off-field trauma. It will be Trinity's first game since their former Great Britain hooker Terry Newton was suspended for two years after testing positive for human growth hormone but, as their coach, John Kear, said: "Believe you me, we've dealt with a lot worse than this in the last 18 months." In the winter of 2008-09 the Wakefield club had to find ways of handling the loss of first the Cook Islands prop Adam Watene, then the reserve team youngster Leon Walker, who each died tragically young in the space of six months. They did so with admirable dignity and also seemed to draw extra inspiration from the twin tragedies in achieving a best-ever Super League finish of fifth. So Kear is cautiously optimistic that Newton's problems will not derail their promising start to this campaign. "It was a shock because nobody had any idea," he added. "But the players are very resilient." Wakefield remain well covered at hooker, where Newton had been alternating with Sam Obst and Tevita Leo-Latu. They are nowhere near the Super League salary cap of £1.7m, so retain the potential to sign a replacement, but for the moment Kear is content to promote James Davey, a highly rated 20-year-old, into the first- team squad slightly ahead of schedule. They are also boosted by the return of Damien Blanch, the Ireland wing who has not played since breaking his thumb in the Boxing Day friendly at Leeds, as they aim for a repeat of last year's 22-20 win at St Helens, their first at Knowsley Road since 2003. Keiron Cunningham returns to make his 500th appearance for Saints after missing the last two matches because of a family bereavement but Jon Wilkin is out after suffering a nasty head cut in last Saturday's impressive win against the Catalans Dragons. Ade Gardner and Sia Soliola are still missing and Saints have further doubts over James Graham and Jonny Lomax, who also suffered head injuries in Perpignan. Hull have dropped Jordan Tansey, one of their better performers in last Sunday's surprise defeat by the Crusaders in Wrexham, for internal disciplinary reasons for their home game against Harlequins. Sean Long is still missing with his hamstring problem, but Danny Tickle returns after a groin injury and Jordan Turner is likely to make his first appearance since his winter move from Salford. Adam Mogg will lead the Catalans at unbeaten Wigan in the absence of the injured Thomas Bosc and Olivier Elima, who is suspended, and Daniel Holdsworth returns after illness for Salford at home to Bradford in the fourth Friday night match. Hull KR have dropped Paul Cooke for their game at Castleford on Saturday, when Shaun Ainscough will make his debut for the Tigers after joining them this week on a month's loan from Wigan.