Wakefield boss provides injury latest including potential return date for Max Jowitt

Wakefield boss Mark Applegarth has provided the latest on his squad ahead of the side’s Thursday night clash with Hull in Super League.

Max Jowitt has been sidelined since February after suffering a freak injury in training ahead of their Round Two clash with Wigan.

The 26-year-old underwent surgery on an ankle injury he sustained whilst in captain’s run, but is nearing his return to full fitness.

Head coach Applegarth has revealed a potential timeframe for the full-back, who has made more than 100 Wakefield appearances to date since his debut in 2014.

“He is down for Catalans away, May 26, so around then,” Applegarth said.

“He’s back running now. He’s been doing all his straight-line running and that, so hopefully we can progress to changing direction and all that sort of stuff soon.

“Max is looking really good and really sharp and I can’t wait to get him back.

“Hopefully that should cause a few more selection headaches in terms of our attacking strike.”

Mark Applegarth provides injury latest

Samisoni Langi returns to the 21-man squad, having missed out against Warrington due to a minor injury picked up during international honours with France against England.

Kelepi Tanginoa returned for the first time since Round Two to feature against Daryl Powell’s side, scoring a try in the 32-18 defeat.

Liam Kay left the field early in the first half through injury, and misses out this week despite being ready to return to action in the second half at the Halliwell Jones Stadium before Kevin Proctor saw red. 

“Liam put his hand up to come back on against Warrington, obviously the red card scuppered that,” Applegarth said. 

“He looks like that wound that he’s got, it’s not healing too well. 

“We’re just giving him a week off for that to settle down. It looks real red and looks like it has a bit of infection. The smart thing to do is to just let it settle down, because even if he did play, I don’t think he’d be able to run properly with how much stitching has gone into it. 

“We’ve got Tom Lineham and Lee Kershaw both fighting for that [wing spot]. It’ll be one of them two.

“He [Lineham] played in that Wigan game in Round Two and it wasn’t the best game for anyone as the scoreline suggested. 

“But after that he got a bit of a hamstring injury and he’s kept his head down in training and he played really well in the reserves game that we had against Wigan. He’s been binding his time.

“If he does play Thursday, it will be well earned.

“The same with Lee. He’s just sat in the background and has been training hard waiting for his chance.”

International centre Samisoni Langi back in

On Langi, Applegarth added: “He had a bit of an injury that he picked up in the international game, so we didn’t want to aggravate it and turn what was a week’s injury into four or five.

“We gave him the week off to freshen him up after that international game.”

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