Announced tomorrow morning according to FaceBook.

I wonder if the Wizard of Wakefield will be 7 this year or whether he'll keep the same number?!?
Wasn't he 20?

1 Richard MATHERS
2 Peter FOX
3 Dean COLLIS
4 Lee SMITH
5 Ben COCKAYNE
6 Paul SYKES
7 Tim SMITH
8 Justin POORE
9 Paul AITON
10 Andy RALEIGH
11 Ali LAUITIITI
12 Danny KIRMOND
13 Danny WASHBROOK
14 Kyle WOOD
15 Kyle AMOR
16 Oliver WILKES
17 Frankie MARIANO
18 Kyle TROUT
19 MELLARS
20 Reece LYNE
21 Matty WILDIE
22 Danny COWLING
23 AVAILABLE
24 Lucas WALSHAW
25 Isaac JOHN
26 Bobbie GOULDING
27 Chris ANNAKIN
28 Liam KAY
29 Adam SLATER

This is the official squad of 2013, announced on the website! Pretty much what I expected what about you guys?

www.wakefieldwildcats.co.uk/news ... s/2012/12/ Everyone where they should be. Nice and strong squad overall

www.wakefieldwildcats.co.uk/news ... s/2012/12/ Everyone where they should be. Nice and strong squad overall

The only number I questioned was 8. Personally, I'd have gone for Amor. He deserves it more for his performances/loyalty over the past few years, but I can see why a NSW international has been given it in fairness.

Lookin at squad were definately short of a prop

Agree, Amor bust a gut last season and came good in the end i.e. signing on the dotted line.

Quote ="Quel Suprise!"Lookin at squad were definately short of a prop'" ......20 page thread here... viewtopic.php?f=33&t=540985&tsmp=1355577055

Quote ="Quel Suprise!"Lookin at squad were definately short of a prop'" ......20 page thread here... viewtopic.php?f=33&t=540985&tsmp=1355577055

Who will be Number 23 then as its available? Was that Matt James squad number?

James was 25.

The squad number 23 has been reserved for a new signing, presumably a prop forward.

This years choices appear a bit more logical than last years.


Read into them what you you want. They aren't going to change just because individuals find their form or it dips.

Its a fair drop for Issac John, you have to wonder whether he's the one we are looking to offload. With number 23 left vacant i'm hoping theres a prop signing in the not too distant future.

Like i said before we are looking to offload Mellars and Johns they are on very decent contracts signed on by you know who !!

Squad looks good only reservations I have is Mathers and Lee Smith...like Mathers attitude and commitment and with ball in hand he is at times like a stand off...however he is a full back and he cost us too many matches for my liking and his line defence is woeful...would have him as a squad player though

As for Smith don't get him he was class at Whinos went to kick n clap and came back a different player just looked slow and very overweight.

Went in Ridings store today and was really surprised how tall Tim Smith is for a 7.

Agreed, personally I dont like Mathers. He seems to 'bottle it' a few times this season. He will do for now. However Lee Smith I believe can develop into a fitter player with a full pre-season with Clawson.

I think last season 23 was a fan who won the right to it at celebrate wakefield and as for smith and mathers I believe with a strong off season they could be brilliant for next year

I genuinely hope both prove me wrong...and trust our coach more than certain others who signed players !

agree with fred gee week links definatley mathers and lee smith. And with dreadnaught mathers is soft ive never seen any one sit on his behind if hes gonna be tackled or gonna tackle any body .anyone whos played this game or any sport must know that once your legs have gone choose how hard you train you dont get them back.i know you dont like one of your favorites criticised but watching him last season and some of the fitness work they were doing this pre season theyve gone ditto lee smith. im sure someone will remind me if im wrong lets wait and see.

if Smith and Mathers are so weak then please name realistic players we could get to replace them (especially Mathers).

i can't really think of any.

I'd replace Mathers with Smith and Smith with Mellors or Cowling. HTH

We did have an up and coming fullback at the club but he's gone and we won't be able to replace other players in the future.

Can't say i have a big problem with Matherrs but what happened to competition for shirts.

Disagree with your comments on Mathers and even more so on Lee Smith.
Mathers did an excellent job for us last season and certainly did enough to be first choice FB and all Smith did wrong was to try too hard when he first arrived and lack some match fitness, which was hardly surprising with his lack of first team footy at Leeds.
FWIW I think Smith will be bang on this season and on his day, the guy is a quality player and an excellent signing for the club.

Agree with Wrencat.
Cannot understand the continued criticism of Mathers.
Being retired I have had the time recently to watch recordings of last season and to me Mathers is always dangerous on attack and as previously stated by Fred Gee gives us another option re. stand off play.
As regards L Smith he undoubtedly had class, lets hope he can recapture the form he demonstrated in the past.
Remember another great attacking full back , not mentioned much on the all time Trinity thread.
The great international Gary Cooper.
Yeah he made some mistakes at the back but boy was he exciting to watch.

pretty happy you post on here and not on the coaching staff then.



Mathers has his faults but is still well in the top 10 specialist fullbacks in SL. I'm also happy with Smith at centre, as long as he is fit and there is no reason why he shouldn't be with the likelihood of regular starts and a good offseason.

let me try and explain to jacques my criticism of mathers. Like him im retired and remember gary cooper well and surely your not putting mathers alongside him. Mathers as no pace and these who liken him to a number 6 must know a stand off needs that. But his first job is to tackle, and if im the only one on here who sees he cant do that then id better be visiting specsavers . I also must be the only one who notices that when a try is scored against us our number 1 arrives on the scene later. Pocket 4s puts him in the top 10 fullbacks in sl but yet including his spell in aus every team got rid of him quickley . another gripe i have is with the club, why give a player in his 30s and with all his experience but makes the mistakes of a novice is given a2 year contract when as far as i know wasnt wanted by any other club.

Now I am not RM's biggest fan but you are way off the mark here i'm afraid. A speeedster he isn't but saying he has no pace is harsh. When you think of some of the fullbacks we've had over the last 20 years, guys like Spencer, Holland, Field, Blaymire & Halpenny he's positively rapid. His tackling isn't great i'd agree but last year he was generally sound under the high ball and positionally in the right place 99% of the time so his has defensive assets. He is a good talker & organiser at the back and links into the line well in attack. He only left Leeds because a once in a lifetime chance to move to Australia which only got curtailed due to a serious injury. Hasn't done badly on his return being first choice fullback for Wigan & Warrington has he? The only one that didn't work out was under Millward at Cas and that isn't the first time thats happened. As for his age he only turned 29 after the season ended, not exactly ancient.

Bare in mind where we have come from recently, two years ago we could have only dreamed of having a squad like this and that includes Mathers & Smith. On our budget he will do just fine for now.