A few months ago, Wakefield Trinity appointed Mark Applegarth as their new head coach and, in doing so, raised a few eyebrows.
Applegarth was well known at Trinity having been Head of Youth for a number of years, but Sky Sports pundit Jon Wilkin ruffled a few feathers after saying “I don’t know anything about him.”
On an episode of Sky Sports: The Bench, Wilkin was sat alongside Applegarth with Jenna Brooks querying whether Wilkin had done anymore research on the Wakefield boss.
Hilariously, Wilkin said: “Mark Justin Applegarth was born in a very small hamlet just outside of Cas.
“He loves fishing and walking his dogs and makes fresh pasta on the weekend sometimes. Loves rugby league, he’s got seven dogs, chihuahuas all of them.
“His favourite program is Love Island, he’s obsessed with it and voted 12 times for Jacques O’Neill when he was in.
“I’m stalling now, we played against each other and we had a professional understanding. You told me on Sky Sports News to tell you how good a coach he is or what he’s like. I have to be honest, I don’t know.”
Applegarth understood where Wilkin was coming from and responded in a jovial manner: “I think you was speaking about what was on the tip of everyone’s tongue.
“Outside of the Wakefield area, who would know of me in a coaching capacity. I thought you were saying exactly what most people were thinking.”
Applegarth now has the opportunity to make a statement with Trinity taking on Catalans Dragons at Belle Vue tomorrow night.
