Wakefield v Leeds (Sun)

ENGAGE SUPER LEAGUE
Venue: Belle Vue Date: Sunday, 27 March Kick-off: 1530 BST
Coverage: Updates on BBC Radio 5 Live, highlights on Super League Show

Wakefield have been given permission to play prop Kyle Amor against his parent club after extending his loan period.

Ben Gledhill is set to take the place of Paul King, who has undergone surgery to correct a foot injury.

Leeds have props Kylie Leuluai and Ryan Bailey back from injury but have lost second rower Ali Lauitiiti (calf).

With Ben Jones-Bishop, Brett Delaney and Lee Smith all out, the Rhinos have only one specialist winger after the loss of Zak Hardaker (broken finger).

Smith has failed to recover in time from the hamstring injury that kept him out last week.

But Bailey is in line for a first start of the season after this week being dealt with by his club for some inappropriate jokes that appeared on his Facebook page.

And, although long-term injury victims Jamie Peacock and Danny McGuire are both still out, New Zealander Leuluai is fit again after three weeks out with a pectoral injury.

While seventh-placed Leeds bid to bounce back from a third defeat in four matches, 30-16 at home to St Helens last week, Wakefield will go into the local derby in bubbly mood.

Last weekend’s 20-6 win at Hull, their second victory of the campaign, lifted them off the bottom and out of the red, having started the season on -4 points following their pre-season off-field financial woes.

And the Wildcats won last season’s corresponding early season game 28-18.

Wakefield Trinity Wildcats coach John Kear:

“The feeling in the changing room after the game last week was one of elation and happiness.

“I was very happy with the performance and thought all 17 players put in 100% effort. It’s like a jigsaw puzzle. If there’s a piece missing, there’s a weak link, and there were no weak links.

“After the disappointing game following our victory over Catalans, we now need to back up a good performance with a very good performance. But Leeds are an exceptional side. They can be very difficult to stop when they hit the ground running.”

In this week’s edition of Headingley Carnegie Insight Leeds Rhinos Head Coach Brian McDermott looks ahead to the Rhinos trip to Wakefield on Sunday.

Leeds coach Brian McDermott:

“John Kear has done an outstanding job at Wakefield this season after all the troubles they had in pre-season. I saw their win at Hull and they were good value for it.

“You know that any team coached by John Kear is always going to give you a hard day at the office.

“We have not had the best record at Belle Vue in recent seasons having lost their last season and snatched victory at the death the year before. That shows how much this game means to the Wakefield people and we need to make sure we match that passion on Sunday afternoon.”

Wakefield (from): Murphy, George, Jeffries, Korkidas, Rinaldi, Henderson, Morrison, Lee, P Johnson, Dean, Gledhill, Mariano, Howarth, Veivers, Wildie, Griffin, G Johnson, Amor, Annakin.

Leeds (from): Webb, Senior, Hall, Burrow, Leuluai, Buderus, Jones-Buchanan, Ablett, Sinfield, Cross, Bailey, Kirke, Burgess, Watkins, Hauraki, Clarkson, Pitts, McShane, Singleton.