Gale to retire at 36 to coach at Wakefield academy

Luke Gale played for Super League rugby for six clubs - Harlequins, Bradford Bulls, Castleford, Leeds, Hull and Wakefield

Former Castleford half-back Luke Gale is to retire from playing at the end of this season to become academy head coach with Wakefield Trinity.

The much-travelled 36-year-old former England player, who was voted Man Of Steel in 2015, will hope to lead Wakefield to promotion back to Super League in September as his rugby league swansong.

Trinity, who he joined on a two-season contract in 2023, currently sit seven points clear under Daryl Powell at the top of the Championship.

"I’ve had 17-18 years as a professional and had the pleasure of playing for some great clubs, with some amazing blokes," said Gale.

"I’ve created some special memories along the way but I believe now is the right time to move on to the next chapter. I still love the game but the game doesn’t love me as much any more.

"The game is getting tougher and I’m getting older and it’s not getting any easier. I felt it was the right time to hang them up. Getting out of bed on a Monday morning is getting harder and harder.

"I spoke to my family and had a good chat with Daryl and this announcement has been in the pipeline for about six weeks.

"I am massively excited for that next journey staying on in rugby league and becoming head coach of the academy here at Wakefield next season."

Nine-times capped England international Gale, who began his career on Leeds' books, has now made close to 400 appearances for eight different clubs - six of them in Super League.

He made his debut on loan to Doncaster, where he was National League Two Young Player of the Year in 2008, scoring 24 tries.

Gale then spent two seasons at Harlequins and Bradford Bulls before joining Castleford where he played his best rugby and had his greatest success.

It was at Cas where he first linked up with Powell, won his Man of Steel award, racked up 978 points between 2015 and 2019, helped the Tigers to the League Leaders' Shield and their maiden Grand Final - and also received his first international call in the 2016 Four Nations before going on to play in the narrow 2017 Rugby League World Cup Final 6-0 loss to Australia.

After leaving The Jungle, he spent a season with Leeds and then Hull before joining Keighley and then moving on to Wakefield for the 2023 season.

But he played a part in Trinity’s resurgence in 2024 under Powell - and will want to bow out on a suitably high note.