BATLEY BULLDOGS coach Mark Moxon hopes the benefits of the club’s dual-registration agreement with Wakefield will reflect the effort put into setting it up.
The forward-thinking Fox’s Biscuits Stadium team chief started talking the matter over with Steve Mills, Trinity’s recruitment manager, last season, when both teams were in the Championship.
Clubs can’t partner with another in the same division (Batley’s 2024 DR deal was with Castleford), but like many, Moxon was confident his hometown club would earn a Super League berth for this year, so enabling the link-up.
The agreement was duly confirmed back in November, and Batley fielded two Wakefield players – outside back Jayden Myers and forward Isaac Shaw – in their first league game, the 18-18 draw with Oldham at Boundary Park (they had a bye in round one).
“This club went a while without a dual-registration deal, and I’m fully aware that they can cause issues, not least because it can be quite unpredictable which players are available any given week, and when they are able to train with the team,” said Moxon.
“But more and more clubs have been setting agreements up, and given our budget and squad size, we didn’t want to miss out on something which could help us, particularly when we might have our own players unavailable due to injury or suspension.
“We’ve already had (prop) Luke Cooper and (second rower) Lucas Walshaw ruled out for a few months apiece, and we have had full-time players come in..
“I get on well with the staff at Wakefield and we have a good dialogue about who might be available and when.
“Their return to Super League means they have been able to invest and get their ducks in a row in terms of the squad, and maybe a few of those ducks will come our way over the season.”
Batley stand-off Ben White reached 250 club appearances (130 for Batley) against Oldham.
