SEEING is believing for Tom Johnstone version 2.0 when it comes to Wakefield 2.0 – as he hopes to turn back the clock.
The winger has returned to where it all began – turning down NRL interest as he revealed to SunSport – from Catalans Dragons.
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During his time in France, things altered big time. He grew up, on and off the pitch, while Trinity were bought by Matt Ellis and transformed.
Now he is back, the 29-year-old is convinced it is for real, designed to get them back to the top.
Johnstone, who saw Kiwi prop Caius Faatili join last Tuesday, said: “It feels like home but at the same time it’s completely different. Everything’s changed, including the mindset.
“It’s all aimed at trying to get Wakefield back to where they used to be. I’m not talking about five or 10 years ago. I’m talking about the glory days. The club was a juggernaut.
“In 2018, we finished fifth and that was overachieving. No-one could believe it, even the players involved.
“Whereas now, we want to be up there and aim towards where we feel we can get to.”
Johnstone, who came through at Wakefield’s academy, heard promises before but saw little action before leaving.
He even had doubts when Daryl Powell’s side first made contact. However, a meeting convinced him they were real.
Even something as simple as knowing where he will be from one week to another is helping as a happy life off the field can bring smiles on it.
Johnstone added: “I never thought I’d come back. I thought my time here was done. When the club messaged me at first, I was a bit like, ‘Am I ready to go back?’
“My agent and I both had the same attitude – if we don’t like it, we don’t do it. We both came out going, ‘Wow.’
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“I went into the academy 12 years ago and was told, ‘We’re getting a new stand, this and that.’ But it became a bit of a laughing stock.
“Now if we’re talking about changes of facilities, there’s the new stand and recovery room but even though we’re in the same gym as before, it’s kitted out with new equipment.
“But there’s the planning. Previously, you wouldn’t know where you’d be the next week, whereas when I finished at Catalans, I got an email from the club with the whole of pre-season planned – where you’re going to be, what time, everything.
“You can plan your life away from rugby around it. You’ve not got an unhappy wife going, ‘What are we doing? Where are we going?’
“And I’m a completely different player to the one that left, on and off the pitch.
“It was great over there and it taught me how to look after myself but I’m really close to my family now and I didn’t realise how much I’d missed them.”