Wakefield Trinity and Castleford Tigers named their 21-player squads for Trinity Vs Tigers on Sunday at Magic WKND, giving supporters the first clear look at the player pool for the derby. Max Jowitt was among Wakefield’s selections, while both clubs now head into day two with only the final matchday call still to come.
Max Jowitt in Wakefield’s 21
Wakefield Trinity listed Jowitt with Cam Scott, Tom Johnstone, Jake Trueman, Mike McMeeken, Tyson Smoothy, Ky Rodwell, Seth Nikotemo, Matty Storton, Jazz Tevaga, Jay Pitts, Caleb Hamlin-Uele, Caius Faatili, Harvey Smith, Isaiah Vagana, Lachlan Walmsley, Jack Sinfield, Jayden Myers, Josh Rourke, Tray Lolesio and Will Tate. The squad size matters because only 21 players were named, so every inclusion is now inside the frame for Sunday rather than outside it.
The list gives Wakefield a broad mix of backs, forwards and spine options, but it does not settle the final shape of the side. Max Jowitt’s place in the 21 is the most direct individual takeaway from the announcement for Wakefield supporters tracking who has been kept in contention for the derby.
Castleford Tigers list 21 players
Castleford Tigers answered with Semi Valemei, Darnell McIntosh, Mikaele Ravalawa, Daejarn Asi, Tom Weaver, Renouf Atoni, Liam Hood, George Lawler, Alex Mellor, Joe Stimson, Brock Greacen, Joe Westerman, Louis Senior, Jason Qareqare, Krystian Mapapalangi, Cain Robb, Ashton Golding, George Hirst, Phoenix Lalu-Togaga'e, Tyler Dupree and Jack Brown. That leaves both clubs working from the same pool size, so the announcement is less about depth on paper than about who survives into the final matchday group.
Magic WKND is taking place on the Banks of the Mersey, and the Wakefield Trinity-Castleford Tigers fixture sits on day two of the event at Hill Dickinson Stadium. The wider slate also included Leeds Rhinos, and they were unchanged for the weekend, while Wigan Warriors and St Helens were listed with 21-player squads as well.
The Leeds-Bradford Derby had last appeared at Magic WKND 14 years before this one, but the immediate question for Trinity Vs Tigers is simpler: which of the named 21 players will actually make the final lineup on Sunday? Until that call lands, the squad announcements are the usable news for anyone following selection, and they set the boundaries for what both clubs can still change before kick-off.
