“Not finished yet” – Wakefield Trinity boss makes statement after winning title

Wakefield Trinity lifted the Championship League Leaders Shield yesterday but head coach Daryl Powell insists the team are “not finished yet”.

Trinity crowned their Championship title with a 48-6 win on the road against Halifax Panthers as they tied up the division with five games to go of the regular season.

It marks the second piece of silverware that Wakefield have won this year after they also picked up the 1895 Cup at Wembley on Challenge Cup Finals day. Trinity beat Sheffield Eagles 50-6 that day but Daryl Powell has claimed that was different to yesterday’s win.

Speaking post-match, Powell stated: “I think this is different to Wembley. That’s a big one-off occasion, this is different. So, I think we’ll be fine. I think, obviously, where the club is going in the future, what we do for the rest of the season is pretty important to that.”

To make it to the 1895 Cup Final, Trinity had to win just five games but the League Leaders Shield has been a culmination of a season’s work with the club losing just once all year in the league, a defeat away in France to Toulouse Olympique.

Wakefield Trinity confirmed as Championship victors

With an invincible season off the cards, there is still one more task for Trinity and that’s to win the Grand Final, something that Powell and the team are focused on.

“We’ve done the job that’s been asked of us, and I think we’ve done it really well. We know there are some challenges yet this season but I feel like we’re in a really good place to make sure that we face up to those challenges.

“As a coaching staff, we’re pretty focused on keeping the boys tuned in, and they’re good. We’ve got some players coming back in the next couple of weeks which gives us strength in depth and competition for places.

“Everybody wants to play in the Grand Final, that’s the epitome of this game. I think we’ll be fine with that.”

Winning the Grand Final will be worth an additional 0.25 points on the club’s IMG grading which could be crucial in the club earning promotion to Super League, something that has been the stated aim all along.

“Not finished yet” – More to come from Trinity

It could be argued that it’s no surprise that Wakefield Trinity have secured the Championship League Leaders Shield so easily given the fact they remain a full-time outfit thanks to the backing of new owner Matt Ellis.

However, Daryl Powell has refuted that assumption and stated the team’s injury issues plus the fact they’ve overcome complacency as a credit to the impressive campaign they’ve conducted.

“We’re playing without recognised halves at the moment and Max and Liam Kay are doing a great job for us. That’s been so challenging, I think the middle unit-wise we’ve been hampered a fair bit as well but it just takes a lot of effort to be consistent, whether you’re full-time or you’re not.”

“I think the way the players have been all year has been phenomenal,” he added.

“We’re not finished yet, so this is quite early to be getting a League Leader’s Shield but I think the players have deserved it, the way they’ve played, and their attitude has been unbelievable all year. So, really pleased for them and the fans. So yeah, it was a good day.”