WAKEFIELD TRINITY are poised to make one more signing, head coach Daryl Powell has revealed.
The West Yorkshire side have already brought in the likes of Lachlan Walmsley, Jermaine McGillvary, Iain Thornley and Luke Bain, but Powell is keen to continue the recruitment.
The change in visa rules, allowing players who are aged 24 or under and who have played in the NSW or Queensland Cup competitions able to obtain visas to play in the UK.
Wakefield have already taken advantage of the new ruling with the signing of Isaiah Vagana, but Powell has revealed that another could come through the doors at Belle Vue before the start of the Championship season.
“There might be one more, the change in the Queensland and New South Wales Cup has given us an opportunity,” Powell said.
“I’m not 100% certain yet but Isaiah Vagana coming on board has given us a middle unit player which was the real issue within the squad when I got here.
“Isaiah is going to be a quality addition but we will wait and see. There may be one to come.”
Of course, in an era of IMG ‘re-imagining’ the sport, performance on the field is just one of five pillars that clubs can earn scores for.
Wakefield themselves were awarded 12.52 points following the provisional grades handed to all 36 professional clubs at the end of last year.
But, with new owner Matt Ellis driving standards on and off the field, Trinity look well-placed for a tilt at Super League for 2025.
And Powell believes that the new structure will be “outstanding” for Wakefield.
“For us I think it will be outstanding because you want clubs to come into the new age. You can’t keep looking at decaying terraces, how will we grow?
“Look at women’s football, they are spending £12 million on their salary cap, they are in great training facilities. How we turn out some of the fantastic athletes we do is unfathomable when you look at some of the facilities.
“I just think has to modernise, it’s kicking and screaming – it has to get into the new age. I think people want to go into nice stadiums, have nice toilets and nice bars and great places to sit. I think we have to change as a sport.
“You go back right to the start of Super League with ‘Framing the Future’ with Maurice Lindsay. We’ve got to change, we’ve been through licensing and the sport has to move on.”
Powell believes that Trinity will deserve their place in the top flight if they get it right on and off the field.
“We are talking about performance, for me none of the other stuff matters. I’ve got to get the team right or I haven’t done my job.
“But what Matt has done with the season ticket situation and engaged with the Wakefield supporters, if we get this place full and get a great team on the field, then why wouldn’t you want Wakefield in Super League?”
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