Former Huddersfield Giants player Kyle Wood will be filling the hooker’s role for Wakefield Trinity at the start of next season .

The West Yorkshire Super League rivals meet at Belle Vue on Saturday in a pre-season clash (6pm), with Wood having the chance to stake his claim.

Tyler Randell’s arrival from Newcastle Knights late last season gave Wakefield head coach Chris Chester an added option in the No9 role where Wood has mainly operated.

However, Randell will miss Trinity’s Betfred Super League opener at Hull KR due to a pre-season knee injury.

“It is good competition, but we just want to work together,” said Wood (pictured below).

“If I am off the bench, or he is, you just need to know you are going to make a good impact on the game.

“That’s building a partnership with each other.”

It will be the second run-out for the Giants after their 32-22 home win over Dewsbury Rams, while Trinity started with a 17-10 Boxing Day defeat at home to Leeds, then enjoyed a 62-0 victory against Halifax, before a young Wakefield side were beaten 24-12 by Batley Bulldogs.

“I think the last two trial games have got us ready for the start of the season,” said the 28-year-old, who made over 80 appearances in two spells with the Giants.

Saints's Mark Percival halts the Wildcats Tyler Randell in the game against Wakefield at the Belle Vue Stadium

“We need to keep building and while the Boxing Day game wasn’t great, we put in a decent performance against Halifax.”

Trinity finished last season in fifth place in Super League, but then struggled in the Super 8s – including a heavy 36-6 defeat at the John Smith’s Stadium.

However, Wood is sure that Trinity can improve again next term and said: “We weren’t far away last year.

“There were a few games we lost by a few points, when errors at the back cost us.

“I think if we cut those out ,hopefully we can make the top four.”

WAKEFIELD winger Tom Johnstone has made himself available for both Germany and Scotland when World Cup qualifiers begin.

The 22-year-old Johnstone indicated he would have played in the 2017 World Cup for Scotland if asked – he was born in Germany.

Johnstone said: “I was born in Germany and have Scottish blood.

“ It’s complicated with the army (responsible for his parents being in Germany), but I could potentially go with either of them.”

Germany official Simon Cooper said the country had so far only played friendlies, with Leeds’ Jimmy Keinhorst involved.