WAKEFIELD TRINITY head coach Daryl Powell is ready to tap into a new market as the West Yorkshire club prepares itself for potential recruits.
The RFL has eased the requirements for visas for overseas players coming to the British game, making it easier for players from second-tier competitions in Australia to join clubs.
From now on, players who are aged 24 or under who have played in the NSW or Queensland Cup competitions will be able to obtain visas to play in the UK.
For Powell, it opens up a new market from which a new recruit could potentially be hunted.
“I think we’ve done a really good job. When I first came in the squad was really skinny in the middle of the field. Obviously we spoke to Wigan on the dual-reg agreement,” Powell told Trinity TV.
“I suppose the one thing that has changed has been the change of rules with the Queensland Cup and the New South Wales Cup. There is potentially an ability to bring some players in that couldn’t qualify before, so those rules have changed.
“For us we’ve had another look at the market and we want to get it right. If we bring anybody else in, I think we’ve got to be certain that they’ll take us into Super League as well.
“So we’re looking, constantly looking, obviously we’re looking to evolve our squad over the next few years, but that change in the rules has opened up a little bit of an avenue for us to explore.”
Powell also referenced the work that recruitment manager Steve Mills is doing – both in the UK and in Australia.
“There’s potentially one or two based on that change of rules. But we’re working hard. Steve Mills has got great relationships with agents over in Australia and in this country as well.
“He’s in constant conversations with agents to see who’s available and whether they want to come to the UK and whether they fit in the way we want to do things.”
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