Wakefield Trinity boss Willie Poching incredibly excited about Tom Johnstone’s replacement

Wakefield Trinity will be bidding farewell to one of the best wingers in the Super League competition when Tom Johnstone leaves for the Catalans Dragons ahead of the 2023 season.

Johnstone has so far spent all of his career at Wakefield, wowing audiences with some incredible finishes and electric pace, but has also suffered from numerous injuries which have limited his gametime in recent years.

And, the England winger will be swapping the city of Wakefield for the south of France having signed a deal with the Dragons in the hunt for Super League silverware.

With many fearing for Trinity in 2022 in his absence, the club has found his replacement out of the blue in Lewis Murphy.

The 20-year-old is as fast as he is tough, willing to take the big carries off the Trinity line to help his side out of defence.

And, when he gets up the other end, he is devastatingly brilliant at flying in acrobatically and leave his mark on the opponent’s whitewash.

Wakefield head coach Willie Poching can’t get enough of Murphy at the minute and the winger scored another outrageous try in the 18-6 win over Hull KR last weekend.

“It was an outstanding finish from where we were. We lose a renowned try scorer in Tom Johnstone and Tom has helped Lewis, but Lewis has come up with some of that on his own,” Poching said after the game.

“As a winger there is an element of bravery to get up in that corner with bodies flying at you and to have the presence of mind to stay in grip with the ball, it’s fantastic for a young player.

“He’s nailed a few this year and he will take a lot out of the England Knights at the end of the year