Wakefield Trinity sign Catalans' Lipowicz for 2026 run-in

Wakefield Trinity have signed Catalans Dragons second-rower Zac Lipowicz on a deal running to the end of the 2026 season, bolstering a squad hit hard by injuries and a compassionate departure.

The 24-year-old Australian only arrived in Super League at the start of 2026, joining the Perpignan-based Catalans from NRL side Penrith Panthers. He had been a regular in the Dragons' side since then, but now swaps the south of France for West Yorkshire for the remainder of the campaign. Wakefield announced the signing on their official club newsroom on 18 August under the headline "Lipowicz Joins The Trin" (Wakefield Trinity; BBC Sport).

Head coach Daryl Powell said the club moved quickly to bring Lipowicz in after losing several players to injury, with squad numbers stretched heading into the closing weeks of the season. The need became more pressing the week before, when second-rower Seth Nikotemo was released on compassionate grounds (BBC Sport).

In rugby league, a second-rower is one of the two forwards who pack either side of the prop in the scrum and carry much of the defensive workload — effectively an all-action role blending muscle with stamina. At 1.85 metres and 96 kilograms, Lipowicz brings the frame to handle it.

His path to a full-time contract was not straightforward. Before turning professional, he balanced working as a carpenter with reserve-grade rugby league in Australia, grinding through the lower tiers for his opportunity (Total Rugby League). That trade-off between tools and boots is a familiar one in the Australian system, where players often hold day jobs while chasing a professional breakthrough.

For Wakefield, the timing is what matters. With bodies unavailable and the season's stretch run ahead, Powell needed someone who could slot in immediately — and Lipowicz has already proven he can handle Super League's intensity over half a season with the Dragons. Whether he can make the same impact in a Wakefield shirt will depend on how quickly he adjusts to a new system and half-back partnership.

For fans, this is a pragmatic signing rather than a marquee splash. A fit, proven forward arriving on a short-term deal to cover gaps is exactly the kind of move that can quietly steady a season — or pass without much trace. Either way, the carpenter-turned-pro now has a fresh workshop.