St Helens' England stand-off Leon Pryce will not let the threat of a jail sentence affect his performances, according to his coach Mick Potter.

The former Bradford player will go into Friday night's engage Super League game at Wakefield under a cloud after he was told to expect a custodial sentence by Bradford magistrates after admitting assault.

Along with Warrington full-back Stuart Reardon, a former Bulls team-mate who also admitted the same offence, Pryce was given conditional bail and will return to court to be sentenced on April 23, the day before Saints' clash with Bradford.

In the meantime, Pryce will continue to play for his club and his appearance at Belle Vue on Friday night will add to what is already certain to be an emotional occasion following the death of Wakefield reserve player Leon Walker.

Potter is standing by Pryce, who has missed only one match this season - Saints' sole defeat by Hull KR - and led the team out on his 100th appearance in last week's 26-18 win over Leeds.

"Everybody has got personal issues to deal with," he said. "This is for him to worry about.

"I'm sure he'll just get on with it. He's a professional."

Meanwhile, Wakefield coach John Kear says the result of the match is irrelevant as the Wildcats come to terms with the latest tragedy to hit the club.

Several Wakefield players took up the offer of bereavement counselling on Thursday and both teams will walk out side by side before observing a minute's silence before kick-off.

Still reeling from the death in October of popular Cook Islander Adam Watene, Kear insists the club will recover from the adversity.

"We're a solid unit," he said. "It's sad but tragedy in a lot of cases brings out the best in people and I'm certain that's what it's done in our group.

"It certainly has in the wider group of rugby league. I've been amazed at the support and sympathy and offers of help received from rugby league. It's been marvellous.

"I love rugby league because it's a team sport and it's that togetherness that keeps you going."

Victory for the fifth-placed Wildcats would enable them to draw level with Saints while Leeds and Huddersfield - two of the other teams above them in the table - are also in action on Friday night.

The Rhinos are aiming to bounce back from their first defeat of the season at the hands of St Helens when they take on struggling Catalans Dragons at Headingley, while Huddersfield bid for an eighth successive away win when they face Wigan at the JJB Stadium.

The Giants have won four of their first six matches but stand-off Kevin Brown, one of five ex-Wigan players in the Huddersfield squad, says there is more to come.

"Four from six is reasonable I suppose but there is room for improvement," he said. "We we just want to be consistent."

Leeds will be without England international Lee Smith after he was admitted to hospital following an insect bite.

The Rhinos say the 22-year-old centre or full-back, who ironically is poised to join Wasps later this year, was bitten last Saturday and, after the swelling failed to subside, underwent surgery to drain an abscess from the infected knee.