Wakefield Trinity: Kirmond's genuinely excited by new-look squad's chances in 2017

Kirmond sat out much of last season due to injury, but knows his fitness woes – particularly after a road accident in August – could have been much, much worse.

And while he was gutted to miss out on a successful year, he believes Trinity’s climb up the table meant it wasn’t the worst season for the side to be without their on-field leader.

“It was frustrating more than anything,” Kirmond said of his ill-fated 2016 campaign, when he was restricted to just 14 appearances.

“It wasn’t like anything I’ve had before – it wasn’t as if my shoulder was hanging off so I had to get that fixed, or my knee.

“I got a cut knee at the Magic Weekend and that got infected and kept me out for about eight weeks, then a tendon flared up in there which kept me out a bit longer.

“Then there was the crash, which ended my season.

“I severed a tendon in my ankle, but I was lucky really.

“It wasn’t too bad, they managed to stitch it back on.

“It could have been much worse.”

Kirmond admitted all that meant last year “wasn’t a good time”, for him personally, but he insisted: “At the same time the club did well so, if there was any year for it to happen, it was probably the best.”

With all that under his belt, Kirmond is relishing getting back on the field and feels Trinity’s prospects for the new campaign are bright.

After battling against relegation in 2015, Wakefield finished eighth last term.

And Kirmond reckons additions Sam Williams, Scott Grix, Mason Caton-Brown, Kyle Wood, Craig Huby, Mitch Allgood and Keegan Hirst have made this year’s squad stronger.

Coach Chris Chester’s men have won their opening two trial games, at Leeds Rhinos and Dewsbury Rams and will go into Sunday’s visit of Castleford Tigers in confident mood.

“I can’t wait, it is an exciting place to be,” Kirmond said of the forthcoming campaign.

“People say this every year, but there’s a real sense of excitement within the squad.

“For the first time in a long time we’ve been able to keep together the core of the group.

“Being in the top-eight last year made it a lot easier recruitment-wise and players were more keen to stay because we were safe and there was a bit of security there, rather than the year before when we were in the million pound game and you weren’t sure whether your contract was going to be there or not.

“This year it has been a lot easier for the club to recruit and keep people here and having that solid base it has all flowed a lot easier into pre-season.

“We are pretty much ready to go.”