Identifying a Warrington Wolves new signing as Daryl Powell reveals plans

Warrington Wolves will not have Toby King at their club in 2023.

That’s because the centre – who is currently on-loan at the Huddersfield Giants – will be joining the Wigan Warriors on a season-long loan for 2023.

In doing so, it raises question marks over who will fill King’s spot at the Cheshire club.

Of course, Huddersfield’s Jake Wardle is currently on-loan at the Halliwell Jones Stadium but it remains to be seen whether or not head coach Daryl Powell will want to extend that deal into next year.

On that, Powell told Wire TV: “Jake’s been class for us so far and we’ll see where that goes down the track.

“That’s ongoing so we will wait and see on that.”

If Warrington choose not to extend Wardle’s deal, then they need to recruit a centre.

And, Powell has revealed that he is still in the market: “We are still looking in the market. I won’t talk about that too much,” Powell said on Wire TV.

At present, only Peter Mata’utia, Connor Wrench and at a push Greg Minikin can play in the centres with Powell preferring to go big in the forward pack in terms of his recruitment so far.

With a quota spot still left for 2023, though, following the departure of Jason Clark at the end of the season, it perhaps points in the direction of buying an overseas centre to fill that gap.

Gold Coast Titans centre Esan Marsters has already been linked with a move to Huddersfield due to the departure of Ricky Leutele – though the Giants’ move for Kevin Naiqama could offset that interest.

Bringing back Oliver Gildart to Super League is also a shout with the Wests Tigers man currently on loan at the Sydney Roosters after enduring a difficult 2022 at Concord.

However, the former Wigan man is reportedly willing to stay at Sydney beyond his current loan deal.

There is also the potential that Powell will go back to his roots of recruitment and try and go for a lesser-known name either at the bottom end of Super League or the Championship.

Toulouse Olympique’s Guy Armitage has been in fine form so far this season in a losing side as has former Wigan centre Chris Hankinson, whilst Leigh Centurions’ Nene MacDonald continues to be linked with the Leeds Rhinos.

With Warrington’s recruitment drive already in sixth gear, there remains just one piece of the jigsaw left for 2023. Get that centre spot right and who knows where the Wolves could finish in 2023.