'The obvious choice': Josh Griffin returns to Wakefield Trinity following Hull FC release

The 33-year-old has linked up with Mark Applegarth's relegation-threatened side following his release by Hull FC.

Griffin, who scored 45 tries in 144 games for Hull, is currently serving a seven-match ban but will be available for Trinity's crunch clash with Castleford Tigers on August 18.

“Wakefield was the obvious choice for me," he said. "I was lucky enough to make my first-team debut there at 17.

“My goals are to help the club and team out in any way that I can. I will help prepare the boys for the upcoming games.

“I’ll be working hard until I’m available to play again and I’ll make sure to hit the ground running. There’s plenty of competition for places in the back row, which is only a good thing.”

Griffin joins a team on the up after winning three of their last four games to move to within two points of second-bottom Castleford.

The experienced back-rower has urged his new team-mates to not look beyond Friday’s trip to Huddersfield Giants.

“The Cas game is massive but I also think every game is just as important,” he added.

"Winning three out of the last four, the momentum is with us but it’s important not to look too far into the future and just concentrate on the next game.”

Griffin becomes the latest high-profile player to join Trinity's fight for survival following the recent arrivals of Luke Gale and David Fifita.

Formerly a centre, Griffin began his career at Wakefield after moving to the city from Oxford but made just one appearance before leaving for Huddersfield.

He returned to Trinity for a second spell in 2011 and is now set to end his career at Belle Vue after leaving Hull under a cloud.

Griffin joined the Black and Whites from Salford Red Devils in 2017 and lifted the Challenge Cup in his debut season.

He scored seven tries in five games before receiving a huge ban for questioning the integrity of referee Chris Kendall during last month's Challenge Cup defeat to St Helens.

The suspension ended Griffin's chances of earning a new deal and he has been quickly snapped up by Wakefield to continue the club's extensive mid-season recruitment drive.

“I’m delighted we have secured Josh’s services for the rest of this year and next," said Applegarth, who has also signed the likes of Will Dagger and Romain Franco in recent months.

"Not only is he a top quality Super League player, he’s a great person who will help drive standards up in training.

“I’m looking forward to him joining up tomorrow. He’s a strong runner of the ball and hopefully he will continue his great form that he was in before his ban.”

Meanwhile, the club have confirmed that Gale’s ankle injury is not as bad as first feared.

In a statement, Wakefield said the veteran half-back is pushing to be fit for the home clash with Warrington Wolves at the end of the month.