Kirmond handed Wakefield captaincy

Richard Agar has revealed his reasons behind the decision to give Danny Kirmond the Wakefield captaincy.

The Wildcats had previously been captained by Steve Southern, but the club revealed the change this week.

Agar told the club’s official website: “It is the way we have been rolling for a while and it’s not something we have made a massive issue of by putting it out there in the press.

“Danny Kirmond had been captaining the side when Steve Southern got injured.  Steve spent 4-5 weeks on the sideline and has since started a number of games on the bench this year so we just felt internally, having spoken to Steve he was happy in relinquishing the role and concentrating on his own game and fitness.

“He was not having the sort of impact as captain that we thought he might have done and that was probably due injuries and we want to get the most out of him as an individual and as a player. That is something we changed a couple of weeks ago but nobody picked up on it but we now feel the time is right to tell everyone.”

Kirmond was the vice-captain at the start of the season, and now takes up the main role, with Richard Mathers stepping up to vice captain.

The Featherstone-born forward joined the club from Huddersfield last season, having spent time on loan with the Wildcats in 2010.

Southern, 30, a close season signing from Newcastle Knights, remains part of the club’s “leadership group”, according to Agar.