Why Wakefield signings won’t be enough to save their season

Mark Applegarth made five additions to his Wakefield squad on Wednesday, including the return of fan favourite and ex-forward David Fifita from Australia.

The side remain winless in 2023 and sit at the foot of the table, four points behind next-best Castleford, with Magic Weekend quickly approaching as the Super League event heads to Newcastle for the seventh time.

Former Catalans duo Romain Franco and Hugo Salabio have joined the Super League strugglers on a month’s trial, while Sam Hewitt also returns on loan from Huddersfield.

The re-signing of academy product Isaac Shaw was the club’s fourth announcement of the day, saving Fifita until last, who has left his family in Australia in an attempt to help revive Wakefield’s season.

But will it be enough?

Firstly, is one prop forward, who left the club last season to return Down Under, going to be the saviour that Wakefield have set him up to be?

The ex-Tonga international first joined the club in 2016 from Cronulla Sharks and went on to make 141 appearances for Wakefield, finishing 10th last season above Warrington and Toulouse.

Fifita has most recently been plying his trade for Entrance Tigers in the Central Coast Division, and it is believed that Wakefield will have to deregister one overseas player to allow Fifita to play – with seven quota spots already taken in the squad.

But you’re asking 33-year-old Fifita to get straight back into action and quickly turn their season around before it’s too late. No pressure…

From what I’ve witnessed so far, it’s the direction and control from the halves that has been lacking from the playmakers in 2023.

I was there for their best game of the season against Warrington at the Halliwell Jones Stadium where they held a 12-12 score at half-time in a performance that sparked hope. But they haven’t been able to replicate that since.

Luke Gale was brought in from Keighley earlier in May, but is yet to make his debut for the struggling club, with Morgan Smith and Mason Lino continuing to be picked.

Could Magic Weekend be the eventual first appearance for ex-England international Gale back in Super League?

Winger Franco and prop forward Salabio have struggled to make their mark in the first grade, with the pair most recently been playing in the French Elite competition for the Dragons reserve team St Esteve and Pia Donkeys respectively.

Now that Max Jowitt is back, is there still space for Will Dagger? He joined the club from Hull KR in March and most recently shifted to centre upon the return of the club’s starting full-back.

But with former youngster Jack Croft having also returned, and the likes of Samisoni Langi and Reece Lyne on the sidelines, what will happen when Applegarth has his full squad back remains to be a question – although it will be a welcomed headache for Applegarth no doubt, who has endured a tough start to his head coaching career that has included horrendous injury luck at Belle Vue.

If the five do eventually get to play, and let’s say at the same time, that’s almost half of your starting XIII expected to make an immediate impact and gel with the rest of the players at the flick of a switch.

Add onto that the likes of Croft, Dagger and Gale, that’s a big core of players who didn’t even undergo a pre-season with the club.

London’s recent recruitment in the Championship

Compare the five to London Broncos’ recent recruitments. One is Corey Norman, and while he couldn’t help Toulouse remain in the top division, he is nonetheless an experienced half-back possibly too good to be playing in the Championship.

And the other is former New Zealand international centre Dean Whare, who has made more than 200 appearances across the NRL and Super League.

Love Rugby League editor James Gordon recently pointed at that Wakefield do actually have a long way to go to beat the worst start ever made by a Super League team.

They are currently 0-13, but Leigh lost their first 16 games in 2021 in a season that started behind closed doors due to the pandemic, while Huddersfield endured 15 straight losses back in 2001.

Having already lost to them twice this year in league and cup, Wakefield face Leigh on Sunday during Magic Weekend. It’s then onto Leeds, Hull KR and Salford for the rest of June. It’s hard to see where the first two points come there.

July doesn’t get any easier – Wigan, Huddersfield and Warrington.

They next play Castleford on August 20, but it might be too late by that point.

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