JAY PITTS was hailed as “a machine” after the loose-forward inspired Wakefield’s opening-round win at Leeds.
Trinity marked their Super League return with a memorable success at Headingley on Saturday.
Key to victory was Pitts, the 35-year-old now in the 18th season of a professional career which began at Wakefield and has also seen him represent Leeds, Hull FC, Bradford and London.
Coach Daryl Powell said: “He’s a machine, that kid. I’ve rarely seen a player like that.
“If I bring him off, he is genuinely angry with me. He hates coming off the field.
“I just think his rugby nous is good. For me he’s one of the best 13s in our game. He’s outstanding on both sides of the ball.”
And team-mate Mike McMeeken, another important figure in the win over Leeds, said Pitts typifies what Wakefield stand for.
“He’s a great player. He’s got everything about him – the work ethic and he’s skilful,” said the England prop.
“It makes the job of our middles so much easier when you’ve got somebody like that with you.
“It’s organised in the middle and, when it does get tough, as it often does, he steps up and I thought he did that brilliantly.
“It’s what we want in our DNA as a team. We want it so we can step up and the man inside you has your cover.
“Good teams are built on those foundations. We’re at the start of a journey and we’re excited to see where it goes.”
Wakefield aren’t getting carried away after one good result, especially with a short turnaround to Thursday’s visit of last season’s Grand Finalists Hull KR.
“We’re pretty humble. We know it’s just the first game of the season,” added McMeeken.
“We’ve got many more tough games to come. It’s just a start and we’ll look to build on it.”
