Dragons v Wildcats: Teams
Wakefield new boy Julien Rinaldi is set to make his debut against one of his former employers at Stade Gilbert Brutus.
Last Updated: 19/06/10 11:46am
Wakefield will hope to put an end to their mid-season slump when they travel to France to take on rock-bottom Catalans Dragons on Saturday.
The Wildcats have slipped out of the play-off positions after winning just one of their last eight engage Super League matches.
They were hammered 48-6 by table-toppers Wigan last time out - a result that left coach John Kear especially disappointed.
"The pressure is on," he said. "The results haven't been good enough.
"We felt we were making great progress performance-wise but we didn't just take one step back last week, we took 10 steps back and now we've got to take 13 steps forward if we are going to beat the Catalans."
However the Wildcats' next opponents are stuck in an even worse run of form.
Les Catalans have been beaten in their last nine outings, including a 24-20 reverse against Castleford at the Jungle on Tuesday night.
With so many of their squad having played for France against England last weekend, some Dragons will be playing their third game in eight days.
Influential trio
However coach Kevin Walters is able to welcome back influential trio Thomas Bosc, Clint Greenshields and Dimitri Pelo to his 19-man squad.
Wakefield will hand a debut to Julien Rinaldi, who will face his old club after moving to Belle Vue on a month-long loan from Villeneuve.
Ben Jeffries returns from a leg injury while Dale Ferguson could feature despite being due to undergo groin surgery in the near future.
Hooker Tevita Leo-Latu is still away on compassionate leave.
In an added twist, there is speculation that Kear could be set to fill the coaching vacancy at Catalans Dragons when current boss Kevin Walters departs at the end of the campaign.
"I'm contracted to Wakefield," he said in response to the rumours. "I'm doing all I can to help Wakefield beat Catalans tomorrow evening."
Catalans squad: Greenshields, Bell, Raguin, Sa, Pelo, Bosc, Ferriol, McGuire, Guisset, Elima, Mounis, Johnson, Gossard, Carlaw, Fakir, Casty, Gigot, Vaccari, Sherwin
Wakefield squad: Blaymire, Blanch, George, Jeffries, Korkidas, Ferguson, Morrison, Demetriou, Obst , Johnson, Henderson, Murphy, King, Cooke, Davey, Moore, Kirmond, Leaeno, Rinaldi