Coach Willie Poching wants his Wakefield players to embrace the club’s rich history as he works to guide the current team back up the Super League standings.
The one-time Trinity second rower, handed the reins in September after a successful spell as caretaker, is encouraging his squad to chat to other former players about what it meant to them to wear the red, white and blue.
Australian scrum-half Geoff Bagnall, who helped Wakefield win the last Yorkshire Cup competition to take place back in 1992/93, revealed he had a recent phone call from compatriot Jai Whitbread, a close-season front-row signing from Leigh.
Both men began their careers on the Gold Coast, the 56-year-old for the old Giants club who played in the top grade between 1988 and 1998 (they changed moniker to Seagulls, Gladiators and Chargers) and the 23-year-old for the Titans from 2018 to part way through last year.
Bagnall explained: “To my great surprise, I received a phone call from Jai Whitbread.
“He had been asked by his coach to get in touch with a former Wakefield player and find out some history about the player and the club at that time.
“What a fantastic initiative by the coach to help champion the history of the club and to certainly build a club culture.
“It also helps old boys like me feel part of the club again. I’ll be watching throughout 2022 and I hope Trinity have a great season.”
Wakefield, who haven’t finished above the bottom four in three years, have completed deals for centre Thomas Minns and Fijian winger John Davetanivalu, who have been on trial.
Former Leeds, Hull KR and Featherstone man Minns, 27, had joined Championship side Newcastle, but agreed a departure after finding the commute from Yorkshire to the North-East problematic.
Davetanivalu, 27, who has played rugby union for Wasps and London Scottish, serves with the Royal Signals in the British Army.
Wakefield continue their pre-season schedule with games at League 1 Oldham on Saturday and Championship neighbours Featherstone on Sunday.
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