Tom Johnstone tells how Wakefield have proved they can be the real deal

SEEING is believing for Tom Johnstone mentation 2.0 erstwhile it comes to Wakefield 2.0 – arsenic helium hopes to crook backmost the clock.

The winger has returned to wherever it each began – turning down NRL involvement arsenic helium revealed to SunSport – from Catalans Dragons.

During his clip successful France, things altered large time. He grew up, connected and disconnected the pitch, portion Trinity were bought by Matt Ellis and transformed.

Now helium is back, the 29-year-old is convinced it is for real, designed to get them backmost to the top.

Johnstone, who saw Kiwi prop Caius Faatili articulation past Tuesday, said: “It feels similar location but astatine the aforesaid clip it’s wholly different. Everything’s changed, including the mindset.

“It’s each aimed astatine trying to get Wakefield backmost to wherever they utilized to be. I’m not talking astir 5 oregon 10 years ago. I’m talking astir the glory days. The nine was a juggernaut.

“In 2018, we finished 5th and that was overachieving. No-one could judge it, adjacent the players involved.

“Whereas now, we privation to beryllium up determination and purpose towards wherever we consciousness we tin get to.”

Johnstone, who came done astatine Wakefield’s academy, heard promises earlier but saw small enactment earlier leaving.

He adjacent had doubts erstwhile Daryl Powell’s broadside archetypal made contact. However, a gathering convinced him they were real.

Even thing arsenic elemental arsenic knowing wherever helium volition beryllium from 1 week to different is helping arsenic a blessed beingness disconnected the tract tin bring smiles connected it.

Johnstone added: “I ne'er thought I’d travel back. I thought my clip present was done. When the nine messaged maine astatine first, I was a spot like, ‘Am I acceptable to spell back?’

“My cause and I some had the aforesaid cognition – if we don’t similar it, we don’t bash it. We some came retired going, ‘Wow.’

“I went into the academy 12 years agone and was told, ‘We’re getting a caller stand, this and that.’ But it became a spot of a laughing stock.

“Now if we’re talking astir changes of facilities, there’s the caller basal and betterment country but adjacent though we’re successful the aforesaid gym arsenic before, it’s kitted retired with caller equipment.

“But there’s the planning. Previously, you wouldn’t cognize wherever you’d beryllium the adjacent week, whereas erstwhile I finished astatine Catalans, I got an email from the nine with the full of pre-season planned – wherever you’re going to be, what time, everything.

“You tin program your beingness distant from rugby astir it. You’ve not got an unhappy woman going, ‘What are we doing? Where are we going?’

“And I’m a wholly antithetic subordinate to the 1 that left, connected and disconnected the pitch.

“It was large implicit determination and it taught maine however to look aft myself but I’m truly adjacent to my household present and I didn’t realise however overmuch I’d missed them.”