Sheffield Eagles v Wakefield Wildcats: Super 8s Qualifiers preview
Last Updated: 26/09/15 10:41am
Wakefield captain Danny Kirmond is in line for a shock comeback to boost his side's Super League survival hopes.
The second rower has not played for three months and was expected to miss the rest of the season after undergoing shoulder surgery but has been included in coach Brian Smith's initial 19-man squad for the trip to Sheffield.
Smith can also call on veteran second rower Ali Lauitiiti, who was a late withdrawal with a leg injury from last week's win over Halifax, and centre Reece Lyne and prop Scott Anderson, who are both free to return after being fined for breaches of club discipline.
"We've gone from having 14 unavailable last week to having nine this week," Smith said. "Reece, Scott and Ali are available and Danny Kirmond is in the squad this week too which is a bit of a shock.
"We're not sure he's going to play this week but he'll definitely be fit for the following week. Fit medically and 'fit' fit are two different things, though.
"If he can get across the line and play this week it will help for his selection the following week in the really big one against Bradford."
A victory at Bramall Lane will give Wakefield home advantage against Bradford Bulls in the Million-Pound Game next Saturday, but Smith is trying to keep his players' minds focused on the job in hand.
"Everyone knows that our opponents in the big game next week are going to be Bradford, but apart from that we've not discussed that game too much yet, at least not in my presence," he said.
"We're keen to back up what we did last week and finish the Qualifiers on two wins in a row.
"Home advantage is important; any advantage to be had is revolved around that. You've still got to play well and we'd like to do that for our fans because it's a bit more comfortable for them if we're here at home against Bradford."
The Eagles are bottom of the Qualifiers with just one win in six but Smith is refusing to take them lightly.
"I have a bit of a thing about people saying teams have got nothing to play for in professional sport," he said. "If you allow yourself to get into that mode of thinking you can always find an excuse not to do your best.
"The guys who play rugby league play it under fatigue and pressure all the time, so to say it doesn't matter doesn't sit easy with me.
"I went to watch Sheffield play Hull KR and they took them a long way into the match. They played as enthusiastically as any team who were chasing a big prize."
Sheffield Eagles: TBC
Wakefield Wildcats: Scott Anderson, Chris Annakin, Joe Arundel, Matty Ashurst, Pita Godinet, Tom Johnstone, Max Jowitt, Danny Kirmond, Ali Lauitiiti, Reece Lyne, Jacob Miller, Anthony Mullally, Nick Scruton, Mickael Simon, Michael Sio, Jordan Tansey, Bill Tupou, Danny Washbrook, Andy Yates.
