Special day for Goulding

The name Bobbie Goulding is back in Super League, after the junior version made his debut for Wakefield in their 26-14 defeat to Warrington last weekend.

Goulding jnr, 20, is the son of the former Great Britain half-back of the same name, and Saturday was a special moment for the family.

Ten years on from his retirement, Goulding snr presented his son with his playing shirt and then watched on proudly as he came off the bench to make his Super League bow.

Goulding jnr told the Yorkshire Evening Post about the emotional occasion.

He said, “I didn’t have a clue it was going to happen.

“I was sat at my locker and Richard Agar (Wildcats’ coach) grabbed my shirt and I thought what’s happening here.

“The next thing, Richard presented my dad and he said a few words and my dad presented the shirt.”

As far as his actual performance, Goulding jnr was content with his efforts.

“I got a good 30 minutes and it was a lot quicker than I am used to, but I thought I did all right,” he said of his first taste of top-flight rugby.

“When I came on we didn’t have much ball and we had a lot of defending to do, but I enjoyed it. I am looking forward to more game time in the future, I hope.

Goulding jnr is already experienced at first team level, having played on dual-registration at Kingstone Press Championship side Dewsbury, and he is hoping he can stay in the Wakefield side and secure a new contract.

“I am loving it here, it is going really well,” he said.

“It is my first year full-time and I am learning new things every day.

“It is good to be around such a good set of lads, we all get on like a house on fire and there’s loads of banter going round.

“They all help and they are all willing to stay behind after training if you need to work on something.”