WOLVES centre Toby King says his injury struggle makes the run in the team he is currently having even more enjoyable.

The 20-year-old missed a significant part of the season with a pectoral injury picked up in pre-season.

However, the former Huddersfield Giants academy player has started the past three games in the centres and says he is hoping to convince Tony Smith to keep him there with his performances.

He also praised the role the Wolves boss played in helping him through his injury.

“I’m absolutely loving my rugby at the moment, it’s been absolutely first class of late being in the first team,” he said.

“I really want to perform well this week to be in with a chance of being in the team to play at Wembley.

“I was really down in the dumps when I got my injury but speaking to Tony picked me straight back up.

“He told me my season wasn’t over when I thought it was. He just said to concentrate on getting myself healthy again so I could have a real run at getting in the team at the back end of the season.

“It really drove me on to get back to fitness and now hopefully I’m taking my chance.”

The injury meant King did not make his first appearance of the season until the Magic Weekend defeat to Saturday’s opponents Castleford on May 21.

Another spell out of the team followed before he returned from the bench at Hull KR on July 1 and he has been a key fixture in the team ever since, scoring two tries in the Challenge Cup semi-final win over Wakefield.

King says he is thankful for every minute he plays in a season he thought may have been over.

“It’s awful to sit and watch. We’ve had a few players that have had to do that for long periods this year and it really isn’t nice,” he said.

“At the same time though, it spurs you on to make the best of it when you come back.

“Getting myself fit and back in for the semi final was great and it makes anything you achieve that extra bit special when you’ve come through tough times.”

With the Challenge Cup Final looming large on the horizon, King admits it is in the back of everyone’s mind but also says the team are focused solely on the Castleford game.

“The excitement is definitely building but we’re putting it to one side until after the Cas game. If we win this one we’re in with a great chance of winning the League Leaders’ Shield,” he said.

“If Hull can beat Catalans and we can beat Cas we’re in the semi finals for sure so it’s great motivation for us to concentrate on winning this game first and foremost.

“I know, and the rest of the guys know, we need to give our all this week because we definitely see it as our last chance to impress Tony before Wembley.

“We know if we play well we’re in with a great chance of being in the team the following week.

“They beat us pretty comfortably at Magic Weekend, we know they’re going to throw everything at us and we need to be ready for it.”