What the Australian press said about Kevin Proctor’s move to Wakefield Trinity

Wakefield Trinity confirmed the signing of Kevin Proctor last night on a one-year deal that is reportedly “very lucrative” for the former Melbourne Storm man.

He arrives having backflipped on a decision to retire after he was sacked for vaping at halftime during an NRL match that his team – the Gold Coast Titans – were participating in whilst he was injured.

The reaction down under has unsurprisingly focused on this with Zerotackle even doing a deep dive to figure out the rules around vaping at Wakefield.

They said: “It’s official – Super League side Wakefield Trinity have confirmed the signing of former Gold Coast Titans captain and New Zealand international Kevin Proctor on a one-year deal.

“Proctor has played 283 NRL games for Melbourne and the Gold Coast, but his storied career in Australia’s top flight ended suddenly after he released a video of himself vaping in the toilets of CommBank Stadium during the Titans’ game against the Bulldogs.

“Though he was injured at the time and not a member of the playing group, the move drew plenty of criticism and ultimately ended in the premature termination of his contract.

“According to the Wakefield website, ‘smoking and the use of vaping devices is not allowed in any spectator viewing area. Designated smoking and vaping areas have been created in strategic areas of the stadium.'”

Fox League meanwhile described the move as a career “lifeline” for the former New Zealand international: “Former Titans enforcer Kevin Proctor has secured a rugby league lifeline, signing with Super League side Wakefield Trinity.

“Proctor’s career looked over after he released a video on social media of him vaping inside the sheds at CommBank Stadium at halftime during a Titans game he wasn’t playing in.

“The 33-year-old was fined $15,000 by the Gold Coast club before they terminated his contract over the incident.”

It seems impossible for the narrative around proctor to move away from the vaping, but Sporting News Australia did make note on some other details such as the fact he will join up with a former teammate: “Proctor, who has played 20 times for the Kiwis and featured in Melbourne’s 2012 premiership victory, will join former Titans teammate Jai Whitbread at Wakefield.”

Perhaps Whitbread helped tempt Proctor to Wakefield.