Toby King celebrates Warrington Wolves testimonial this weekend

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WARRINGTON Wolves are back in action this weekend as they welcome Leigh Leopards to the Halliwell Jones Stadium for Toby King’s testimonial.

King, 28, celebrates 10 years at the club barely a year after he had returned from 18 months in the wilderness when it seemed that his Wolves career was over.

A fall-out with then coach Daryl Powell saw him farmed out on loan to Huddersfield for the latter stages of the 2022 season, and he spent the whole of 2023 on loan at Wigan, where he won the Super League title.

But for a change to the salary cap rules relating to marquee players, King might well have left the Wolves, but he came back for 2024 and thrived under the stewardship of Sam Burgess, helping the club reach Challenge Cup final.

Huddersfield-born, the intention was initially for King to face his hometown club for the testimonial, only to be scuppered by the Super League fixture release which pits the Wolves against the Giants in round one, meaning the clubs were reluctant to face each other so close to a competitive match.

King arrived at Warrington via Huddersfield’s scholarship with brother George and made his first team debut under Tony Smith in 2014. He was part of the team that won the Super League league leaders’ shield in 2016 and the Challenge Cup in 2019.

In 2021, he was hot property around Super League and for a time looked like he was on his way out to join Hull KR, before he penned a lucrative new deal to stay at Warrington which runs out at the end of the year.

King admitted: “I think I was all for leaving in 2021, and then it just materialised that I was staying. But I love Warrington, I love playing here, it was going to take something massive for me to leave. I’ve grown here, through the academy, my mates are here and stuff, and there was just something I didn’t want to let go.

“Daryl (Powell) joined and it didn’t go to plan, and I got the opportunity to experience different clubs, and obviously it was successful at Wigan.

“I still want to be part of that first team to go and win the Grand Final.

“I never thought I’d be having a testimonial. I know the club has done a massive thing getting it on, it’s been a whirlwind 10 years.”

King scored 12 tries in 27 appearances last season, and now has 64 in 165 in total for Warrington, but isn’t sure where his future lies after 2025.

He added: “I’m just letting it take care of itself for now.

“With this being my testimonial year, we’ve got a massive game against Leigh in that pre-season friendly, so I’ll see how that goes and things will really start then.

“I know it’s a bit earlier now with (contract) discussions and stuff, but I’m really enjoying my time at the moment under Sam (Burgess), so we’ll just have to see how it goes.

“The opportunity might not come to stay here now, so I’m open to anything.”

A youthful Warrington side was beaten by Widnes in the Wolves’ first outing of 2025, and there will likely be a much stronger team on display for Saturday’s visit of Leigh, which kicks off at 5.30pm.

The following week, Warrington take a rare trip to Cumbria to face Whitehaven in the Challenge Cup, before facing Huddersfield in the Super League opener on February 16.


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Journalist and sport content specialist, who is also editor of Love Rugby League. Formerly ran the official website of the Carling Cup, as well as operating a digital services business in Warrington.

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