| Year: | 2009 |
| Next Season: | 2010 |
The Wakefield Trinity Wildcats' 137th season saw them enter their eleventh Super League campaign, as well as the 2009 Challenge Cup.
Transfers for 2009 (in)
| width=25% | Name | width=35% | Transferred from | width=45% | Date released |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Stosic | Gold Coast Titans | October 2008 | |||
| Steve Snitch | Huddersfield Giants | October 2008 | |||
| Dave Halley | Bradford Bulls | October 2008 |
Transfers for 2009 (out)
| width=25% | Name | width=20% | Transferred to | width=45% | Date released |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duncan MacGillivray | Retired | October 2008 | |||
| Paul Reilly | Oldham R.L.F.C. | October 2008 | |||
| Brett Ferres | Castleford Tigers | October 2008 | |||
| Joe Hirst | Featherstone Rovers | October 2008 | |||
| Josh Griffin | Huddersfield Giants | October 2008 | |||
| Kyle Wood | Doncaster | October 2008 | |||
| Jason Golden | Harlequins RL | October 2008 |
| Competition | Round | Opponent | Result | Score | Home/away | Venue | Attendance | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 † | Win | 6–12 | Away | 14,377 | 8 February 2009 | ||||
| Super League XIV | 1 | Loss | 18–4 | Away | 15,643 | 13 February 2009 | |||
| Super League XIV | 2 | Win | 29–10 | Home | 6,578 | 22 February 2009 | |||
| Super League XIV | 3 | Warrington Wolves | Win | 48–22 | Home | Belle Vue | 5,169 | 27 February 2009 | |
| Super League XIV | 4 | Loss | 31–18 | Away | 9,038 | 8 March 2009 | |||
| Super League XIV | 5 | Catalans Dragons | Win | 30–10 | Home | Belle Vue | 4,807 | 15 March 2009 | |
| Super League XIV | 6 ‡ | N/A | P–P | Away | N/A | 22 March 2009 | |||
| Super League XIV | 7 | Loss | 18–42 | Home | Belle Vue | 6,038 | 27 March 2009 | ||
| 4 | Win | 54–0 | Home | Belle Vue | 2,637 | 3 April 2009 | |||
| Super League XIV | 8 | Win | 6–35 | Away | 10,155 | 10 April 2009 | |||
| Super League XIV | 9 | Win | 24–22 | Home | Belle Vue | 6,516 | 13 April 2009 | ||
| Super League XIV | 10 | Win | 14–21 | Away | 11,975 | 17 April 2009 | |||
| Super League XIV | 11 | Wigan Warriors | Loss | 26–40 | Home | Belle Vue | 5,521 | 26 April 2009 | |
| Super League XIV | 12 | Bradford Bulls | Loss | 16–32 | Neutral | 29,627 | 2 May 2009 | ||
| Challenge Cup 2009 | 5 | Wigan Warriors | Loss | 17–28 | Home | Belle Vue | 4,883 | 9 May 2009 | |
| Super League XIV | 13 | Loss | 24–17 | Away | 3,612 | 17 May 2009 | |||
| Super League XIV | 14 | Loss | 6–54 | Home | Belle Vue | 5,037 | 24 May 2009 | ||
| Super League XIV | 6 | Celtic Crusaders | Win | 6–50 | Away | Brewery Field | 2,089 | 30 May 2009 | |
| Super League XIV | 15 | Bradford Bulls | Loss | 36–22 | Away | 8,387 | 7 June 2009 | ||
| Super League XIV | 16 | Hull FC | Win | 37–22 | Home | Belle Vue | 4,721 | 13 June 2009 | |
| Super League XIV | 18 | Harlequins RL | Win | 20–18 | Home | Belle Vue | 5,079 | 28 June 2009 | |
| Super League XIV | 19 | Huddersfield Giants | Loss | 30–14 | Away | 7,486 | 5 July 2009 | ||
| Super League XIV | 20 | Leeds Rhinos | Loss | 30–32 | Home | Belle Vue | 6,425 | 10 July 2009 | |
| Super League XIV | 21 | St Helens | Win | 20–22 | Away | 8,651 | 17 July 2009 | ||
| Super League XIV | 22 | Castleford Tigers | Loss | 12–20 | Home | Belle Vue | 8,371 | 26 July 2009 | |
| Super League XIV | 23 | Salford City Reds | Win | 24–30 | Away | 3,151 | 31 July 2009 | ||
| Super League XIV | 24 | Celtic Crusaders | Win | 46–12 | Home | Belle Vue | 7,893 | 16 August 2009 | |
| Super League XIV | 25 | Warrington Wolves | Win | 28–40 | Away | 8,681 | 23 August 2009 | ||
| Super League XIV | 26 | Catalans Dragons | Win | 20–34 | Away | 8,755 | 5 September 2009 | ||
| Super League XIV | 27 | Hull Kingston Rovers | Win | 24–10 | Home | Belle Vue | 6,328 | 13 September 2009 | |
| Qualifier | Catalans Dragons | Loss | 16–25 | Home | Belle Vue | 4,008 | 19 September 2009 |
On 22 March 2009, Leon Walker, a reserve player, collapsed in the 63rd minute of a game against Crusaders Reserves at Maesteg rugby union ground. He was airlifted to Morriston Hospital, Swansea where he was pronounced dead upon arrival.[2] He was 20 years old at the time of his death.[3] An inquest subsequently found that his death was the result of a rare undiagnosed heart defect, and the coroner ruled that he died of natural causes.[4]
Walker started playing rugby league for the amateur side, the Churwell Chiefs. Walker joined the Salford City Reds in 2006 and played for the club for three years. After his rookie season he was named the Salford Reds Junior Academy Player of the Year.[5] In 2007 Walker represented both the Yorkshire and England U18 sides.
He joined the Wakefield Trinity Wildcats in November 2008, joining their senior academy side.[6] [7]
Walker attended Morley High School and was a scaffolder by trade,[8] and was the cousin and team mate of Luke Blake.[9]