David Fifita arrives in England after answering Wakefield’s SOS
Photo by Owen Humphreys/PA Archive/PA Images.
David Fifita has landed back in England and is expected to link up with Wakefield in the hope of turning their Super League season around.
Wakefield boss Mark Applegarth confirmed his interest in a return for the ex-NRL prop last week, with the club yet to announce the signing.
He is expected to link up with the Super League strugglers for the remainder of the season as Wakefield remain without a win so far in 2023.
Fifita, now 33, made 141 appearances for Trinity but left the club at the conclusion of the 2022 season to return to Australia.
The prop forward initially made the move midway through the 2016 campaign from Cronulla Sharks.
David Fifita arrives in England
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Applegarth, who is in his first season as head coach at Wakefield, admitted that Fifita’s arrival would be a much-needed boost for the winless side.
Trinity fell to their 13th straight defeat of the Super League season last Friday with a 36-6 score to Catalans in Perpignan.
Experienced forward Kelepi Tanginoa suffered a suspected broken in the Round 13 loss, having only recently returned from a long-term injury suffered against Wigan in Round Two.
The 29-year-old was only featuring for his fourth appearance of the season in France.
David Fifita would be an “incredible boost” says Applegarth
Following the game, coach Applegarth said on Fifita: “We are looking into it, he would be an incredible boost for our squad.
“We’re down on numbers and it looks like Kelepi Tanginoa has broken his arm so we really need the numbers.”
Jack Croft also recently returned to the club from Australia on a deal until the end of the 2023 Super League season.
He is a product of the club’s youth system, and left Wakefield at the end of last year and later joined Wynnum Manly Seagulls.
The 22-year-old made his debut in the 2019 Challenge Cup quarter-finals against St Helens and went on to make a further 21 appearances for the club.
Croft was named to start against Steve McNamara’s Dragons on Friday, with full-back Max Jowitt returning from injury and Will Dagger shifted to the centres.
Former England international Luke Gale, who arrived earlier in May from Keighley, is yet to make his debut for the club.
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