What “inspired signing” Luke Gale will bring to Wakefield 

John Kear believes Luke Gale will bring exactly what Wakefield need in an attempt to turn their season around in Super League.

Mark Applegarth’s side sit at the bottom of the table and are yet to record their first win of the season.

Former Man of Steel Gale confirmed his return to the Super League competition with Wakefield from Keighley on a deal until the end of the 2024 campaign.

Speaking on the BBC 5 Live Rugby League podcast, Widnes and Wales coach Kear believes the 34-year-old playmaker will help the side find their identity in attack, having scored the least amount of points in the competition so far with just 53. 

“He’ll bring exactly what Wakefield want, he’ll bring an element of structure and organisation,” Kear told Dave Woods on the latest episode.

“I think they’ve got some strike et cetera in an unstructured way, but I don’t think they’ve found their identity in how they want to attack yet. 

“I think it’s a really inspired signing and in particularly so with Hull being the second game, I think he’ll have a point to prove to some of the people over in Hull. 

“I think he’s an inspired signing and I think it might kick-start Wakefield’s season. Because of my emotional attachment to Wakefield, I hope it does and I hope it then makes Super League more interesting for the rest of the season.”

Former team-mate Kevin Brown on Luke Gale

Gale partnered Kevin Brown in the halves during England’s 2017 World Cup campaign, helping guide the side to the final before falling short 6-0 to Australia in Brisbane.

Brown, now 38, believes Gale’s arrival will take some pressure off half-back Mason Lino, who has managed to produce just four try assists so far in a struggling campaign. 

However, the Super League veteran believes it could be too late in Applegarth’s hopes of reviving their season.

Brown commented: “They’ve been so poor with the ball. Defensively, they’ve not been too bad. But what Galey will bring, he’ll bring ideas, he knows how to attack and he knows how he wants to attack. 

“He gives space to other players, I think sometimes with Galey you can’t see how good he actually is because it might not be what he does with scoring a try or making a break, but creating space and opportunities for other people. 

“I think Mason Lino’s game now will go through the roof. 

“He’ll also bring loads of leadership. Whether or not it’s a year or two too late for him for him to actually put this team on his back and carry them out of relegation, I’m not sure, because it is a really big ask. 

“It is going to be tough, but it definitely is a boost.”

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