Wakefield centre Bill Tupou to make return from long-term injury

Wakefield centre Bill Tupou is set to make his return to the field from his long-term injury.

Tupou, 31, has not played since suffering a ruptured patella tendon in June last year against Castleford.

The 2018 Dream Team member has been named to make his return for Wakefield’s reserves on Friday night. 

With no Super League game due to the Challenge Cup final, several first-team members have been named to face Hull reserves.

Max Jowitt, Lewis Murphy, Jack Croft, Brad Walker, Tinirau Arona, Harry Bowes, Rob Butler, Kelepi Tanginoa, Pat O’Donovan and Eddie Battye are also set to feature.

More on Bill Tupou

Tupou made the switch to Super League in July 2015 from Canberra Raiders, where he played two seasons. He made his NRL debut for New Zealand Warriors in April 2010 against the Manly Sea Eagles.

He was a part of the club’s losing 2011 Grand Final team, featuring on the wing. The side lost 24-10 to Manly. Krisnan Inu, James Maloney and Elijah Taylor also featuring for the Warriors.

Representing Junior Kiwis as a youngster, Tupou has won one cap for Tonga.

He was named in Super League’s Dream Team in 2018 alongside team-mates Matty Ashurst and Tom Johnstone. Tupou played every minute of every game for Trinity in 2018 and finished the season as the top metre-maker with 4,114, the only man to go above 4,000m. Additionally, he scored 14 tries that season in 30 Super League appearances. 

He was sidelined in 2019 for three months due to a groin tear sustained against Salford Red Devils.

To date, he has made 111 Super League appearances, scoring 28 tries.

Wakefield return to Super League action a week Sunday as they host Hull.

Podcast: Kevin Brown previews Challenge Cup and 1895 Cup finals

PLAY: Our free Fantasy Rugby League competition is back for 2022