Kristian Woolf Q&A: Injury update, praise for Jon Bennison and Dan Norman

MC: How has the team come through Thursday’s game?

KW: We came through well and we didn’t pick up any injuries that would keep blokes out for this week. That is a real positive, coming off a really positive performance, having all of those guys available again.

Morgan Knowles’ hand is sore but it is going to recover and we’re going to look after it.

MC: Will Hopoate missed out again - must be frustrating for all parties?

KW: It is only another minor thing that will keep him out for a week or possibly two. He has just had a lot of bad luck with different niggly injuries, and it has gone from ribs to hamstrings to other things.

It is a bit of bad luck and probably related to not being able to get into that regular playing straight away which has led to other problems because he is trying to catch up his match fitness all of the time.

We need to make sure we get his return to play right and that we do the work that he needs to do to make sure that he is 100 per cent right by the time he takes the field, but he needs a little bit of luck as well.

I have said a number of times, it is frustrating for everyone but nobody is more frustrated than Will.

He certainly wants to make an impression and we have seen in the couple of games he has played – at full back or out of position on the wing – he has shown a real class and toughness and how much he is going to bring to the team.

We just need to get him on the field and get some consistency there and he’s going to have a big impact.

He is very conscious that he’s come over here wanting to make an impact and knows he’s come to a very successful team and wants to put his own print on the team and show he can add to us.

He has been an elite player for such a long time because he has such a drive to be an elite player. Nobody is more frustrated than him.

MC: In his place Jon Bennison impressed in his first game back after a broken cheekbone?

KW: Jon is a brave kid and he shows that every time he plays for us. If you remember his first game against Leeds – out of position on the wing – or Good Friday against Wigan.

Remember when he fractured his cheekbone at Castleford he did it in the first minute but went through to half time.

He’s shown plenty of times how brave he is but when he takes the field he also shows how committed he is and how much being part of the team means to him.

He’s getting better with every performance and I thought at the weekend he looked like a bloke who has played plenty of Super League and someone who is comfortable at that level.

MC: How far is Mark Percival off playing?

KW: Mark’s injury is a bit of a different one in the sense that it is not got a definite timeline on it.

But it is progressing well and we are hopeful that he’ll be available within next couple of weeks.

MC: In Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook’s absence Dan Norman has been getting more minutes. How do you view his progress?

KW: Dan is a bloke who has worked really hard – and he’s a bloke that has come in from other systems and had a fair bit of work to do in terms of his development physically, skill wise and understanding footy as well.

He’s worked really hard and fits into our group really well because of his work ethic and his drive to want to be a better player.

He has worked hard to be in a position where he is just starting to knock on the door to have more opportunities in the team.

That is starting to show and he looks really comfortable when he goes out on to the field now.

He is starting to make an impact with his carries and know how to use the size and power that he’s got.

He is becoming a lot more efficient defensively and being more comfortable using his skill – his catch and tip as well.

What he needs is a bit more time, consistent time, playing Super League.

Once he gets that he is going to continue to improve but it’s hard for him at the minute because he has some other good players above him who all deserve and want opportunity as well.

Once he gets that consistent run I think he will really jump out of the ground and we’ll see his ability.