Dons and Trinity forge closer links

Under the new agreement, Super League Trinity will allow four players to join the Championship Dons on dual registration deals, coaches Tony Miller and Richard Agar and their backroom staff will link up, plus the clubs hope to profit from commercial partnerships.

The first of those comes in a pre-season friendly between the clubs on January 27 at the Keepmoat Stadium.

Miller and his Doncaster coaching team will work alongside Agar and his respective coaching team at several of Wakefield’s Super League home games. The Wildcats team of coaches will also get involved with a number of the Dons training sessions where ideas and training methods can be discussed and put into practice.

Wakefield helped the Dons to win the League Leaders Shield and Grand Final trophy – their most successful season to date in their 61 year history – by allowing Kieran Hyde, Russ Spiers, Danny Cowling and Lucas Walshaw to join on dual-registration deals. The latter two are expected to return to Doncaster next year.

Dons chief executive Carl Hall said: “As a club we’re over the moon to go into partnership with Wakefield, who were arguably the most improved club in Super League last season.

“The Wildcats really supported the Dons in Championship One last season and their dual registered players played a big part in our success. I genuinely believe this partnership will be mutually beneficial and rewarding for both clubs.”

James Elston, Wakefield chief executive, added: “With so many similarities between the two clubs we think the partnership has the potential to be a great success.”