If anyone thought that Wakefield Trinity’s 38-22 victory over Warrington Wolves was any sort of surprise result just over a week ago, then they had a rude awakening on Sunday, as Trinity returned to the Halliwell Jones Stadium against a star-studded Warrington side and put one over them once again, this time defeating them 16-12.
And the star of the show, for the second week in a row, was Mason Lino, Wakefield’s Samoan halfback who clearly outshone the Wigan pair of George Williams and Gareth Widdop.
It made uncomfortable viewing for Warrington coach Daryl Powell and, quite possibly, for England coach Shaun Wane.
Lino has given two very dominant performances against one of the leading teams in Super League and, as a Samoan, he may well be playing against England in the opening game of the World Cup at Newcastle’s St James’ Park in October.
Lino plays with a totally refreshing creativity and freedom of expression and if he partners Penrith halfback Jarome Luai for Samoa against England, I think we can predict that victory will certainly not be assured for the English team.
Confidence in a Rugby League player is a difficult thing to define, although it’s easier to recognise when a player has it, and it’s obvious that Lino has it in abundance.
The strange thing about him is that he made his debut in the NRL in 2015 for the New Zealand Warriors, but only played 17 games in three seasons.
He then moved to Newcastle Knights in 2019 to play 17 games in two seasons, with the Knights making no effort to retain him before he signed for Wakefield for the 2021 season.
I wonder whether his relative lack of opportunities in the NRL are because coaches in that competition frequently frown on creative play that goes beyond the boundaries of the structures they impose on their teams.
That’s one reason why, although I admire the NRL, I still think that British Rugby League at least matches it in entertainment value and often surpasses it.
Lino is a perfect example of a signing from the NRL of a player who comes to this country without a big reputation, but who is subsequently discovered to be a gem.
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