Former Hull FC forward Chris Green ready to give his 'best years' to Wakefield Trinity

The two-time Challenge Cup winner spent the final part of the 2019 season on loan at Wakefield, helping the club avoid relegation from Super League.

The 29-year-old made his professional debut for hometown club Hull FC in 2011.

He spent eight years at the Black and Whites but did have loan spells at Doncaster, York City Knights and Featherstone Rovers.

Green was temporarily left without a club at the close of the 2019 campaign as he was released by Hull after returning from his loan spell at Wakefield.

But he has now found a permanent home at Belle Vue after signing a two-year deal last week.

“I said last year, coming off the back of an injury the year before, I found myself a bit stronger and a bit fitter,” said Green.

“It was a good base to work off and hopefully my best years are going to be in a Trinity shirt.”

Green won the Challenge Cup in 2016 and 2017 with Hull but was surprised to be told he would not be given a new deal at the club.

However, the forward is pleased to be returning to Wakefield after playing four times on loan last season.

“I am really happy to get a deal sorted, I enjoyed my time here towards the back end of the year,” said Green.

“It was difficult circumstances but I enjoyed it and enjoyed being around the lads and I am glad to get it all signed and done.

“We spoke about a move towards the end of the year but the club was obviously focused on staying up.

“So it sort of got put to the side a bit but it is done and dusted now and I am really looking forward to the next two years.”

Green played 142 times for Hull since debut in 2011 and says he will take plenty of fond memories from his time at the Black and Whites.

“I really enjoyed my time there, playing for the team that I grew up watching,” said Green.

“I have a lot of fond memories and obviously the two Challenge Cups stand out and all the derby games.

“But that time has come to an end now and I am looking forward to playing at Wakefield again.”

Green admitted that there is plenty of room for improvement from his time with Trinity last season, adding: “There is a lot of things to work on. It is always hard coming into a new team and trying to get used to how the way they play.

“I will be looking to do that over pre-season and build up some relationships with some of the lads and see how Chezzy [Chris Chester] wants me to play.”

Green is excited by the prospect of playing alongside fellow forwards David Fifita and Tinirau Arona.

Both players were sidelined by injury when Green arrived at Belle Vue with Fifita undergoing surgery on a foot problem and Arona recovering from an ACL strain.

Green said: “It will be good to build up some partnerships with those guys.

“And it will be good to build on what we did at the back end of the year. Because the three or four games I played in, the team played really well.

“And that is something we can take forward and take that confidence into next year and hopefully not find ourselves in that position again.

“But I am really happy to get the deal signed and really happy to get going with Wakefield Trinity again.”

The unity within the club during Green’s loan spell last season was something that encouraged the forward to return to Belle Vue.

Trinity avoided relegation on the final day of the campaign, beating London Broncos 19-10 to send Danny Ward’s side down.

“Everybody was really welcoming from day one,” he said.

“Under tough circumstances, the club and the players and the fans, they all stuck together.

“And that is what ultimately what stuck out in my mind as well. I am just looking forward to playing out there again in front of all the Wakefield Trinity fans.”

He added: “The fans are a great bunch to play in front of and they definitely get behind the team.

“They played a big part in us staying up and I look forward to playing out in front of them again next year.”

Wakefield will return for pre-season training in just a matter of weeks and Green insists he can’t wait to get “stuck in" after a disappointing year for Wakefield.

After back-to-back top-five finishes Trinity had hopes of reaching the Super League play-offs.

But a dreadful run of form coupled with numerous injuries to key men, left Wakefield fighting to avoid relegation.

Green added: “I am really looking forward to getting stuck in and I think that a different environment will be really good for me.

“There is plenty of rugby left in me and I am really looking forward to getting started. Getting into the play-offs has got to be the aim.

“I think it will get the best out of us and it is something that I have always been used to in my career at Hull.

“And hopefully we can get that at Wakefield and we have definitely got the squad to do it.

“We have got the coach and the fans to do it, it is just about a touch of good luck here and there.

“If we can replicate those performances then there is no reason we can’t be in that five.”