Wakefield Trinity man hails ‘world class’ recruit and Josh Rourke presence

The return of Tom Johnstone gives the Wakefield Trinity backline a ‘world class’ presence heading into the 2025 Super League season. That’s the belief of Max Jowitt, who is readying himself for a 12th season as a player with Wakefield after spending his entire career to date with the West Yorkshire outfit.

Jowitt enjoyed his best season to date for Wakefield last time around as he scored 26 tries in 35 appearances to help Daryl Powell’s side win the 1895 Cup, the Championship League Leaders’ Shield and the play-off final. Stepping back into Super League, Trinity have made a number of high profile additions, with Johnstone arguably being the most high profile addition.

The winger left Wakefield in 2022 to join Catalans Dragons, but after two years in the south of France, he has made his return to Belle Vue on a four-year deal that will see him spend the remainder of his peak years as a player with the club. Jowitt knows Johnstone well, of course, he’s delighted to see him return to the club.

“Obviously the fans are excited about that, it’s the sort of player you didn’t think you’d see back in a Wakefield shirt,” he told the Wakefield Trinity YouTube channel. “I’m travelling with him as well into training so he does my head in sometimes…

“He’s a world class player, England international and to have players like that on board at Wakefield is probably something Wakefield fans didn’t think would happen a couple of years ago. To have players like that coming back to the club, it’s special. ”

Wakefield have also moved to secure the signing of former London Broncos man Josh Rourke, who will be providing Jowitt with competition for the full-back spot.

“Last year I think there was only me at full-back really, so it’s good to have competition,” he added. “Josh has come in and he’s obviously shown his quality at London.

“I thought he’d played a lot more games than he had with the way he played, but speaking to him that was his first proper season in Super League. You wouldn’t have thought that really with the way he played.

“He brings some more quality into this team and obviously some healthy competition for that full-back spot. If I can show him some skills and pass stuff onto him and if I can take some stuff off him as well, it’s only going to be good for both of us.”

Powell’s side get their season up and running against Leeds Rhinos at Headingley, but they make the short journey across the M62 later this month first, to compete against their local rivals in the club’s annual festive challenge. As such, although Wakefield Trinity have only just returned to pre-season training, they are now just two and half weeks away from their first outing of the campaign on Boxing Day.

“It’s one of them where we’ve only probably had four weeks of training, it was a long season last year,” Jowitt said. “It’s a good idea to see where we’re at, where the combinations are and fitness levels.

“Game fitness is a bit different to your regular conditioning on the field. We can build some good combinations on the field and it’s just a marker to see where we’re at, we still have a bit of time to go after that game but it’s exciting and obviously the fans come down in good numbers, it’s a good day out for everyone really.”