Wakefield Trinity in market for another forward to complete 2026 squad
After leaving the number 26 shirt free in their squad list for 2026 Wakefield Trinity have admitted they are in the market for one more player to complete their line-up for their second season back in Super League.
Trinity have been linked with a move to sign Sydney Roosters forward Xavier Va'a and although they have not confirmed that head coach Daryl Powell wants another big man to complement his troops.
"We feel like we're one shy in the pack – a middle or back-rower,” he said.
"It'd probably be a middle because you need to be so deep there. It's such a combative area of the field where the big boys are ripping into each other.
"Losing Caleb (Hamlin-Uele) was a real tough one for us. We lost some players for big periods. Ky (Rodwell) hardly played. When you lose guys like that, it has a big impact.
"We set ourselves a platform to build from. If we can build on that with incremental improvements, some of that comes from recruitment and the work we do in pre-season, we'll be in a good place."
Trinity have recruited well from down under in the last two years to help build a squad that instantly challenged the top teams in 2025 and hope to have done so again with Tyson Smoothy and Jazz Tevaga.
"It is important to do your homework," added Powell. "With two more teams joining the competition in Australia, it's quite challenging – but we feel like we've got a fair bit to offer.
"Tyson is still pretty young but wanted to come over here and play in Super League. We want to be at the front of the queue for those kinds of players.
"Before that, we signed quite a lot of players from the (NSW/Queensland) Cup in Australia. That research is more challenging, but getting it right is absolutely pivotal.
"We've seen with some of the players we've signed – Ky, Caius (Faatili), Caleb, Isaiah (Vagana) and Seth (Nikotemo) – there was a lot of work put in to make sure they were the right type of people and players.
"Most of the guys we've signed have been pretty young as well. I've seen a lot of mistakes in the past where you sign older NRL players, particularly middle-unit forwards and it's pretty challenging for them at the end of their career, unless they're super motivated.”