Wakefield Trinity make offer to bring NRL star Andrew Fifita to Belle Vue

The Cronulla Sharks stalwart is the twin brother of Trinity forward David Fifita. He has 18 months left on his deal with Cronulla, where he won an NRL Grand Final in 2016, but could now be on his way to West Yorkshire to be reunited with his brother.

He has represented Australia on the international stage but switched allegiances to Tonga - along with a host of other NRL stars - with the island nation now ranked fourth in the world.

“We have made an offer,” confirmed Wakefield chief executive Michael Carter.

“I’ve had one phone call with the main man at Cronulla and he is going to come back to me.

“However, they have now changed the coach so I have no idea at this moment if we will move forward or not.”

Wakefield have made space on their overseas quota by releasing Adam Tangata, who has returned to Championship club Halifax until the end of the 2022 campaign.

During pre-season, Trinity head coach Chris Chester had felt there would be recruitment options emerging from the NRL during the opening weeks of the season and that patient approach could pay off for Trinity. Fifita has made 223 career appearances, including 10 State of Origin games for New South Wales.

Chester told the Wakefield Express in February: “The NRL start before us, which is a first, and I am pretty sure after the first two or three weeks we might be getting some phone-calls from agents overseas to let us know players aren’t getting in the team and offering us a player.

“It is just the patient approach we have had to all of our recruitment really.

“We will just sit and wait. We know we are in a strong position if something becomes available. We will just see what happens.”