Tough Wakefield Trinity decisions explained as Daryl Powell talks Jay Pitts, Lachlan Walmsley and Mason Lino exits - Serious About Rugby League
Serious About Rugby League · Sam Brocksom · 2026-09-04T14:10:31+00:00 · nguồn gốc
Last week, Wakefield Trinity announced the players in their squad who would depart at the end of the season, and among the list were Lachlan Walmsley, Jay Pitts and Mason Lino.
Those three players were perhaps the most surprising, with four of the nine men having already been confirmed to depart or having already left the club.
The other two players were Will Tate and Noah High, but Tate had already been teased to be leaving by Powell, and High never really got a look-in at Super League level.
Trinity fans have grown quite attached to Walmsley, who has struggled with injury, but when on the field has been consistent at scoring tries.
Scoring 45 tries in 56 games for Wakefield, the Australian will depart at the end of the campaign, and as it stands he remains without a club for 2027.
Trinity boss Daryl Powell explained the decision, telling the press: “With Lachlan, I think he’s done a great job to work his way through. He wanted a Super League chance, he got it, and he’s done really, really well with it.
“We’ve got some really young outside backs, and it’s about just giving space for young players to develop, and I just felt like it was the right thing to do.”
Another departing overseas player is Mason Lino, who leaves the club after six seasons. He is heavily rumoured to be staying in West Yorkshire and moving to Castleford Tigers, though a move is unconfirmed as it stands.
Powell spoke on the possibility of the club keeping the former Samoan international, but ultimately, the half-back is a victim of the salary cap.
He said: “There’s an argument for Mason, but the difficult thing with Mason was we’d signed Jack [Sinfield] and we’ve got Myles [Lawford] there as a young half.
“Again, it’s space, and it’s also a cap as well. You can’t keep everybody in. Mason’s probably one of the cap decisions that we had to make, obviously in the knowledge that we’ve got Truey…. and Jack, we feel is an outstanding player already, but he’s going to be a phenomenal player. Again, it’s just giving space for players within your squad.”
Jay Pitts’ Wakefield Trinity exit explained as veteran leaves contract early
Perhaps the most surprising of the three was loose forward Pitts, who still had another year remaining on his current deal.
Turning 37 in December, the Trinity academy graduate returned to the club in 2020 and has made a total of 190 appearances. His total career games reached the 450 mark against York at the weekend, but there is now uncertainty over his playing future.
“I’ll leave Pittsy to talk about what he wants to do next,” Powell said. “We signed Cam [Smith] from Leeds, and we’ve got Jazz [Tevaga] contracted, and there’s a time for everything.
“I just think with our recruitment it was sort of a natural evolution of the way that our team’s growing and developing.
“Pittsy has got a decent story to tell this season with us, and he’s been unbelievable.”
Asked how much of a tough decision it was to part ways with Pitts, the Wakefield boss replied: “It’s how they always are. When I finished at Leeds, it’s tough decisions for a club, but I just think you have to make those decisions at times for the growth of your team.
“Pittsy has been phenomenal, and everybody talks about his age – he’s timeless, isn’t he? It’s one of those decisions that we made a while back, and it’s just coming out now, obviously, and Pittsy will tell his own story.”