WAKEFIELD TRINITY’S new owner Matt Ellis has revealed how discussions with Hull KR-bound Kelepi Tanginoa broke down when the West Yorkshire club attempted to extend the forward’s contract.
Tanginoa was recently announced as a Hull KR player after signing a three-year deal at Craven Park, but Ellis has revealed that the club had tried to extend the 29-year-old’s deal following the culmination of his contract.
And, financial concerns were not the reason for his departure.
“Both myself and Daryl wanted Kelepi to stay. We both sat down with Kelepi separately and had conversations with him,” Ellis told BBC Radio Leeds.
“Kelepi’s a great guy, he was pretty relaxed about it. But when we tried to negotiate with his agent, it wasn’t as easy going, probably the horse had bolted on that one.
“I don’t think we’ve lost him to Hull – we don’t know what they are paying him – for financial reasons, because we – myself and Daryl – saw him as a key player if we could have kept him, so we haven’t lost him for financial reasons.
“I think he’d already pretty much settled on a move, that’s the impression I got.”
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