Wakefield Trinity tie down winger Oliver Pratt until 2031

Wakefield Trinity have signed winger Oliver Pratt to a new five-year contract, keeping him at the club until the end of 2031. The club announced the deal on Friday 13 November.

A winger plays on the outside edge of the field and is often the player who finishes a move in the corner. Pratt, who is 22, came through Wakefield's academy, the youth set-up that develops players from their teens. He has since built a steady career with the first team.

He made his senior debut in 2023. The season after, he was named the Championship's young player of the year, the award for the league's standout player under 23. He has played 77 games for the club so far, according to BBC Sport.

Last season he scored 15 tries in 15 appearances. A try is worth four points in rugby league and is scored by grounding the ball over the opponent's try line. Scoring in every game he played is a strong return for a winger, and it is the kind of record clubs look for when they decide to offer a long deal.

The season was not without setbacks. Pratt missed Wakefield's Grand Final triumph because his hamstring, the muscle at the back of the thigh, flared up again. The same injury first ruled him out in June. He is now set to be part of the club's plans for the years ahead.

Head coach Daryl Powell leads the side that Pratt will continue to play for. The new contract gives both the club and the player certainty until the end of 2031, a long run for a young player still early in his career.

For supporters, the message is simple. One of the club's own products has committed his future to the team that gave him his start, and the years ahead will show how far his try-scoring form can go.