Wakefield's spirit is intact

Wakefield will field a team including several of the players who had their contracts ripped up this week in tomorrow's match against Warrington. The club terminated the contracts of all players over the age of 24 in an attempt to cut costs when they put into effect a Company Voluntary Arrangement.

Wakefield will field a team including several of the players who had their contracts ripped up this week in tomorrow's match against Warrington. The club terminated the contracts of all players over the age of 24 in an attempt to cut costs when they put into effect a Company Voluntary Arrangement.

However, players like Andy Fisher, Gary Price, Neil Law and the Samoans, Willie Poching and Tony Tatupu, have agreed to play on interim terms, unlike others, who have left as free agents.

"It has been left up to the individuals," said the club's general manager, John Harbin, who has taken over as coach since the resignation on Thursday of Tony Kemp. "Everyone's situation is different and those who are leaving have said they have no hard feelings towards the ones who are playing. The spirit is pretty good, everything considered. My hope is that we can beat Warrington, but, realistically, the team has done very little training over the last two weeks."

Warrington will be without Toa Kohe-Love, whose hand injury has ended his season and threatens his participation in the Lincoln World Cup with the New Zealand Maori side.

The first of the inevitable departures from Belle Vue has been confirmed, with the Great Britain full-back, Steve Prescott, rejoining Hull next season on a two-year contract.

Hull have also recruited the winger, Chris Smith, from St Helens and their players could be lining up against another future team-mate at Wigan tomorrow. Tony Smith is set to move to The Boulevard for next season, with the Irish winger, Brian Carney, moving in the opposite direction.

Matthew Johns, the Australian stand-off, whose signing is one of the reasons for Smith becoming available, will watch his new team for the first time tomorrow as they try to consolidate top place in preparation for next Friday's fixture against St Helens.

Brett Dallas could be back for that game; for this, Frank Endacott waits to see whether Denis Betts and Lee Gilmour will be fit, while Hull could add Mick Jenkins to their ever-lengthening injury list.

If Hull are one club who cannot wait for the season to end, Huddersfield-Sheffield - destined to be plain old Huddersfield once more from next year - must be another. They are at home to Castleford, who retained their potential England World Cup winger, Darren Rogers, this week, while Halifax and Salford contest a Cup at The Shay. The Colin Dixon Memorial Trophy commemorates the Welsh forward, who played for both clubs.

The Australian club, West Tigers, have appointed the Canterbury assistant coach and former Test stand-off, Terry Lamb, as their new coach.

*Wigan's former chief executive, Phil Clarke, has won his case for compensation for unfair dismissal.