Super League champions Wakefield Trinity have received a major boost ahead of the new season after confirming the re-signing of Grand Final winner Zac Lipowicz.

The forward was a member of Daryl Powell’s side that won at Old Trafford, having joined the club on a short-term deal from Catalans Dragons.

That was supposed to be his final game for the club having already agreed to sign for new NRL club Perth Bears ahead of their introduction to the competition next year.

However, an agreement has now been reached for the 24-year-old to remain with Wakefield for one more season, before he takes up his deal with the Bears in 2028.

A Poland international, he played six games for Wakefield last year, having previously played 26 times for Catalans during his debut season for the club.

Before that, Lipowicz was part of the Penrith Panthers side and had played regularly for their New South Wales Cup side, playing 50 times in three seasons.

His Super League stay looked set to be a short one, but Wakefield will now get another season out of him.

Wakefield’s director of rugby Ste Mills said: “Getting Zac back for the 2027 season is a huge boost for the club as he offers great versatility to our squad & we all saw how valuable that was when he joined for a short stint at the end of last season. It’s something we have been working on since that stint, and we are delighted to get it over the line.”

Lipowicz was one of seven members of Wakefield’s Grand Final side that were set to leave at the end of the season, but his extended stay is more than useful for Trinity given their lack of depth in the back-row. Isaiah Vagana was one of the standout forwards in Super League last year but they had lost Seth Nikotemo mid-season and the departures of Cam Scott and Jay Pitts had seen them lose two players who could fill in when required.

But Lipowicz’s new deal ensures they have two specialists, utility forward Matty Storton and even Mike McMeeken, who played the role at times last year.