I personally like the way we have quality players able to play in other positions and not just as 'cover' but to a very good standard eg Jowitt, Walmsley, Booth and now Pratt on the wing !
Augers well for the future!

I think we all know it’s because Olpherts is a favourite of Powells.

After Wembley and Walmsley blitzing up to 20+ try’s and looking very potent at left wing Olpherts was shoehorned in without much reasoning from right to left.

Nothing against Olpherts as he’s done a good job this season for us but he was doing a perfectly good job on the right (as he did vs Barrow) so it just seemed very odd that Olpherts sealed that position down after Wembley.

Again I’m happy to have Olpherts and I was the first to champion his signing across many platforms when he signed with a number of fans not keen on his signing and defended him after his Batley away game too. I still think he’s a good championship winger but I really don’t get how he’s been immovable from the left wing this year when he was playing good on the right and Walmsley on left.

Only thing I can think it may be is getting experience on the right wing with an eye on next season. If it’s that fair enough I guess.

Because he makes more yardage out of the back than anyone else.

Which was the case on right wing also?

I'm not saying he's right but that's why he likes Derrell

I know that but I wasn’t questioning why he’s liked or why he was brought in. That’s the whole reason he was brought in and Franco was frozen out. Nobody banged the drum for Olpherts more than me early days and I still do for his yardage carried out the back.

It was just why after playing right wing that post Wembley Olpherts was shoehorned to the left. Some ocassions Walmsley being benched rather than favoured for right wing.

Not that it really matters now though. I just never really understood that.

Injuries to halves, Jowitt moving to 6/7, Walmsley being the more versatile of the two, all contributed to him losing his left wing spot. He's not playing there next season (injury to Johnstone permitting) so perhaps Powell was trying him out in other positions.

I think that's exactly it Trojan - Walmsley will be on the right next year so think Powell's playing him there unless covering at full back. For what it's worth I've not loved Walmsley at full back - his positional sense is pretty good, and he's obviously a real threat pushing on early plays. But I'm not as convinced with his ball playing and short kicking game, which gets called on a lot in SL. No dramas this year, but delighted Rourke's coming in to provide cover for Jowitt. We haven't really had a second full back since Alex Walker, and that stung us last year particularly. Not sure Walker would have made a huge difference to the scorelines, mind.

Walker was never up to SL. Before we signed him from
London I could see he la led the ability to join the line, create the overlap and find a pass. Some players it comes natural like Max but others really struggle here and Walker struggled.

I take your point though that we haven’t had any real depth at fullback that’s quality in a while. For next season Jowitt, Roarke, Walmsley and Russell (if all true) is some very good depth.

Regards his ball playing, he did create 2 x assists at Barrow and I’m sure he’s our second highest assist maker in the squad for stats. He’s not got the finesse and accuracy in passing I’ll give you that but I think he’s got some ability on ball playing. Enough to cover the odd game at least. Agree about the kicking because we haven’t really seen it but hopefully the halves can take that load.

I suspect he will be on the wing anyway. We may have to be a little patient with him early season till he finds his SL feet.

Powell seems to have been testing the versitality like you say. Might bode well if we hit some injuries as I suppose the coaches will know in advance who’s more capable in different positions.

Next signing announced at 10.00

Suspect be rourke or a contract extension

https://wakefieldtrinity.com/trinity-land-nikotemo/

https://wakefieldtrinity.com/trinity-land-nikotemo/

So what is the situation regarding 'overseas' signings now?

3 rumours,

[listVangana fed trained.
Boothroyd not been retained,
Lino on his way. [/list:u

Guess one of them is true.

Boothroyd hasn't got a contract yet but that doesn't mean it's true.
No way is Lino going
Not sure on Vagana

The little bit I've seen and read about him makes me think he'll be a hit in SL.

2 have to be correct

Uele atoni rodwell Nikorema Bain walmsley Lino vagana makes

Boothroyd doesn’t have a contract and therefore either Lino is on his way or vagana is fed trained

You say no way Lino is going, but I keep getting told he is.

Looks like an exciting prospect, really liking the clubs approach to recruitment and they seem to be getting a very good balance with age/experience and youth / potential. Not just that but they seem to be signing players that actually want to play for Wakefield which in the past hasn`t been the case - I guess you could probably put that down to the way the club has developed over the past year or so. Exciting times.

Hard to judge him on such a short highlights clip, he was clearly well thought of prior to his knee injury which has seen him drop down into the Queensland Cup, which in itself doesn't mean that much, because of the NRL production line of talent, looking at his Q Cup stats he doesn't appear to have missed many games through injury, so his knee is obviously sound, he will need to settle in and adapt to the English game but if he does he could be a real find. Noticeable on that reel was that he makes a lot of post contact metres and is clearly comfortable playing either 11 or 12

Maybe the next announcement?

If there is any way to keep hold of Boothroyd I’d be happy with that as he’s impressed me and I think he has plenty of growth in him. Tough player and a good frame to grow into too.

I guess with Seth that’s our quota. If we want to sign anymore then looks like someone will have to make way.

I think now once we have 9 sorted and a decent couple of squad players we should be good to go.

Depends who's telling you of course.
It's not like I'm chatting to Powell about it but I can't see them getting rid. I think it's just rumours started by people who don't like him.

I see Tigers are now Chasing Judah Rhimbu who just got player of season in the Queensland comp.

A player who i watched last season for PNG and he is similar to Ipape in style. I was wanting us to sign him last season and would have been a good pick up this had we the space.

We do still need a 9 but looks like Hood will go another year with not many domestic options of note.

Vangana not on the quota spot as confirmed by aaron bower on twitter meaning we could announce Seth.

Also, Lino's Mrs posting a very cryptic Instagram story... with a house Emoji and a countdown timer of a month to go...