It is perhaps typical of this Wakefield side that when their backs are firmly against the wall, and the critics are at their most vociferous, they produce the kind of performance which suggests this most incredible of seasons is not in danger of ending any time soon.
Back-to-back defeats – and four losses out of six – had left some suggesting Trinity’s season would peter out after threatening to further rock Super League’s status quo and qualify for the play-offs. But this team, who have evolved from relegation candidates to genuine play-off contenders under their coach, Chris Chester, in little over a year, are made of sterner stuff. This magnificent effort proved as much.
For Trinity, these are the moments where they can genuinely believe they are capable of going all the way to the Super League semi-finals for the first time. They were much the better side against a Leeds team who they may yet meet again in the play-offs and, simply put, the scoreline did not flatter the hosts on a one-sided evening in West Yorkshire.
They outscored a lacklustre Leeds by six tries to one and following the disappointment of missing out on the top four before the Super 8s, moved into the play-off places before this weekend’s fixtures. Make no mistake about it, this Wakefield side could yet last the distance in the race for the Grand Final. “We’ve shown with this performance that we’re not here to make the numbers up this year. This is the benchmark now for us,” said Chester.
For Leeds, the story was much the opposite. The Rhinos have, on occasions, looked fully capable of securing an eighth Super League title – but this was not one of those evenings. They were thoroughly outclassed by Wakefield from start to finish and while they remain second in the table, there were perhaps enough frailties in this display to suggest plenty of improvement is required if they are to reach Old Trafford come October.
“It’s been a while since we’ve been beaten significantly like that,” the Leeds coach, Brian McDermott, said. They began brightly enough, levelling through Adam Cuthbertson after Joe Arundel’s early try for Wakefield but after that, the hosts dominated.
There were four more first-half tries courtesy of Ben Jones-Bishop, Scott Grix and the outstanding Jacob Miller. “He was brilliant,” Chester said of the half-back.
Miller’s try came from an unforced Leeds error and the visitors repeated the trick after the break, when Ashton Golding spilled the ball for Matty Ashurst to touch down, before Wakefield rounded the scoring off late-on when Bill Tupou seized on another mistake and dived over. “We’ve as good a chance of the top four as anyone,” said Chester. On this form, it is hard to argue with him.
Wakefield Grix; Jones-Bishop, Lyne, Arundel, Tupou; Miller, Finn; Fifita, Wood, England, Kirmond, Ashurst, Arona. Interchange Hirst, Annakin, Hadley, Hasson.
Tries Arundel, Jones-Bishop, Grix, Miller, Ashurst, Tupou. Goals Finn 7.
Leeds Golding; Briscoe, Watkins, Sutcliffe, Hall; Moon, McGuire; Singleton, Parcell, Cuthbertson, Jones-Buchanan, Ward, Ablett. Interchange Burrow, Delaney, Keinhorst, Mullally.
Try Cuthbertson. Goal Watkins.
Referee B Thaler. Attendance 5,607,
