PAUL Rowley will urge his players to turn their Super League bid into an “achievable goal” when resuming their Middle Eight’s campaign at Leigh Sports Village on Saturday.

But opponents Wakefield Trinity Wildcats could be boosted by Kiwi star Kevin Locke’s return from a previously anticipated season ending shoulder injury.

Centurions have lost both their opening fixtures, conceding 82 points in the process against Hull KR and Salford Red Devils.

They sit seventh in the eight-team Qualifiers table, topped by Widnes Vikings and with the top four places occupied by Super League sides. But three of their last four fixtures after this weekend will be against Championship opposition.

“At the moment it is proving like an impossible dream for all Championship clubs,” admits Rowley. “Our task is to make it into an inevitable, achievable goal which we are still trying to do.

“Finance plays a big part,” adds the Leigh boss. “In mid season you can get teams who are battle weary or disjointed for one reason or another but they have a chance to fix the dam with the finances at the end of the year which we don’t.

“Who knows at the end of it (the Middle 8’s) whether this will be an impossible dream or not? I am not quite sure. We will hold our nerve which is important.”

Rowley says on pitch issues are also contributing to Leigh’s struggle to currently bridge the class gap.

“We have got to make sure we play harder and smarter. Our kicking game has been really poor in our first two matches,” he explained.

“You look at Kevin Sinfield he consistently does it well. He takes away his personal glory and does what’s right for the team. If that is not looking all too pretty at times but it is effective, then that’s what he does,

“That’s the difference between Super League and Championship teams at the minute.

“We get punished for being a little bit soft in areas like that. And a little bit dishonest in defence at times.”

Fourth placed Wakefield opened their Middle 8’s win account with a 48-18 win over Bradford last weekend. They did so without Locke whose shoulder injury against Castleford on July 19 was initially considered serious enough to sideline him for the remainder of the campaign.

Now, he’s being tipped to make just his fourth appearance for Trinity keen to avenge their 36-30 Challenge Cup defeat to Leigh back in May.

“It’s important our lasting message is to ‘keep your nerve, keep your head up, remain confidant and keep the swagger about you,” added Rowley.

*Leigh star Sean Penkywicz, 33, who played his last game for the club in April, has accepted a two-year ban after testing positive for a growth hormone GHRP6. The former Huddersfield and Halifax hooker strongly denies taking the substance.