Wakefield Trinity news: overseas star to depart as coach Daryl Powell makes 'sign a player' pledge
A first-choice player will leave Wakefield Trinity at the end of this year, coach Daryl Powell confirmed today.
Hooker Tyson Smoothy joined Trinity in pre-season after being a Grand Final winner with Brisbane Broncos in the southern hemisphere NRL last term. He is on a three-year contract, but has been linked with a return to Australia at the end of the current campaign for personal reasons.
Speaking at his preview press conference today (Wednesday) ahead of tomorrow’s game at Bradford Bulls, which will be refereed by Marcus Griffiths, Powell revealed the 27-year-old’s exit is a done deal. “I think he goes home,” Powell said.
“It’s cut and dried really, that has been done for a few weeks now. We have moved on from it, we know what’s happening and so does he. I think that’s important, then he can settle down and just get on with his rugby.”
Powell stressed: “It’s family-related. I think he is enjoying his time here, for sure, but sometimes there are bigger things at play and it is what it is.”
Trinity have an outstanding number nine prospect in academy product Harvey Smith, but Powell said they will make a signing to replace Smoothy. He stated: “He is class, Harv. I think he has grown immeasurably, both physically and mentally.
“He’s never going to be the tallest, you get what you’re born with with that, but he’s fast, he’s tough, he’s brave and he can score tries.
“The penny has dropped with him on a couple of bits of his game over the last three or four weeks so that has been great to see. He’s an 80-minute player of the future, but he can’t quite do it yet and I wouldn’t want to ask him to.
“He is going to have to grow into that so we will sign a player. We know what we are doing there, it’s just a matter of time before we talk about that.”