Wakefield Trinity man hails Daryl Powell impact and issues Leeds Rhinos verdict

An intriguing full-back battle is in store when Wakefield Trinity return to Super League at Leeds Rhinos on Saturday.

Jake Connor will make his Betfred Super League debut for Rhinos, having scored 32 points – from a try and 14 goals – in last week’s Challenge Cup thrashing of Wests Warriors.

And in direct opposition will be record-breaker Max Jowitt, who last year became the first English player to score 500 points in a season when Trinity swept all before them in the Championship.

Jowitt proved he has lost none of that prolific form when he booted 11 conversions – and ran in a try – during Wakefield’s 82-0 Cup defeat of Goole Vikings and the 27-year-old reckons he’s a better player now than when Trinity were relegated in September, 2023.

“It was probably the season I needed, coming off the back of the year we got relegated,” the reigning Championship player of the year admitted.

“It got me back to enjoying my rugby. When you’re losing every week it takes the enjoyment out of playing, but we had a refresh in the Championship and coming into training with a smile on our face was one of the main reasons for success last year.

“It is a big step up into Super League , the quality is growing and growing and I am excited to get among it and play week-in, week-out.”

Jowitt credits coach Daryl Powell and his assistant Michael Shenton with improvements in his game since he last played in the majors.

“Powelly’s a big help,” he added. “I’ve been learning under him and Shenny as well. What they’ve taught me over the last year has made me grow into a better player, them having confidence in me doing a job for the team. I want to repay them now and do the job in Super League.”

Saturday is the real test, against a team fancied to do well this term, but Jowitt is confident Trinity are ready.

“With finishing a bit later last year, it has been a short off-season and a short pre-season, but the lads have come back in good condition and we hit the ground running on day one,” he said.

“We’ve made a lot of new signings – 10 this year – so we needed a bit of time to gel as a team, but we’ve come together pre-season really well, better than I thought with a couple of new half-backs in there and a lot of the players we’ve signed are starting players.

“Everything’s combining well, the lads are getting on really well and the new lads have fitted in almost perfect, so it’s really good.”

Having had a glimpse of their opening opponents on Boxing Day, when Wakefield Trinity were pipped 18-16, Jowitt stressed: “We probably couldn’t have had a better game to kick-start the season.

“It’s a derby and Leeds are going to be up for it. I didn’t play in the Boxing Day game, but they looked up for it then.

“They put a strong side out – especially in the first half – and they looked like they were going after us.

“They did a good job of that, but we’re excited to bring in a few players who didn’t play on Boxing Day and see how we go.”

Trinity haven’t beaten Rhinos at Headingley since March, 2019, but came out on top the last time the sides met in a competitive match, winning 24-14 at Belle Vue in June, 2023.

That was Wakefield’s first of the season and one of only four they managed during their relegation campaign, despite them having prop Hugo Salabio sent-off early in the second half.

Of the 17 Trinity players on duty that afternoon, only Jowitt, Jack Croft and Jay Pitts remain at the club and the full-back insisted Wakefield are in much better shape – on and off the field – than they were 20 months ago.

“I think us getting relegated was probably one of the best things that could have happened, in a weird way,” he stated.

“Matt [Ellis] has come in and taken over the club and we’ve had a full refresh of the coaching staff and players and that season in the Championship got that winning mentality back in the club.

“Stepping up into Super League is a completely different challenge, but it’s one I think we are ready for.

“We’ve trained really well in pre-season and had a few good hit-outs, now we’re ready for the season to start. Pre-season is long enough, we just want to get going and compete against the best.”