Wakefield Trinity boss Daryl Powell hopes that his side can translate their Magic Weekend performance over to this week, when they take on Hull KR.
Trinity were utterly dominant in their 48-6 win over Castleford Tigers, with nine tries scored to see off their local rivals in quite extraordinary fashion.
Admittedly, Castleford were very poor, and you can’t fully assess Trinity on a performance like that, but they can be assessed on their game this week against the Robins, and Powell has urged his side to produce a similar effort against the reigning treble winners.
The Wakefield boss said that his side were “professional” from the off, and should have scored more tries in the opening parts of the game than they actually did.
“I thought at 10-0 up, I thought we maybe should have been 16, 20 points up. I thought we were that dominant,” he said post-match. “I think defensively, I thought we were excellent for pretty much all the game.”
The Tigers were kept to nil until the final few minutes, where a lapse in concentration from the Wakefield defence allowed Jason Qareqare in to score a consolation try.
“I blame myself for the last points,” Powell added. “I just said to the boys there that I was going after more points.
“I think we could have gone second if we’d have scored again and we flicked the ball out. I just thought it was a poor message to give the boys, to be honest but it is what it is.”
Trinity would have climbed above Warrington in the table with a winning margin of 50 or more, but their quest for two more points in the end cost them the nil.
In that game, Powell elected to use Josh Rourke at full-back in place of Max Jowitt. The boss confirmed that that decision was based on selection rather than injury, and he has now challenged Jowitt to earn his place back in the side.
He said: “‘Rourkey’ has been playing consistently well and Max didn’t have his best day last week, so I just think Josh Rourke’s a genuine option at full-back, and it’s that competitive nature in the squad that we’re going to need.
“Max needs to dig in and fight his way back and train well, and then who knows what’s going to happen across the season when we’ve got ten rounds left.
“This is where it’s really important now. I think the squad is holding tough together, players are playing well when they get out there, and training well.”
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Wakefield Trinity boss sets challenge ahead of Hull KR trip
Whilst in terms of the league table, the win over Castleford is no less important than a win over Hull KR, Trinity taking victory over the Robins would be a real statement of intent.
They have already beaten Willie Peters’ side earlier this year, so to do the double over them would be brilliant for the club. Not only that, it would go a long way to proving that Wakefield can compete with the big boys in Super League after a disappointing play-off exit last season.
“I just think when we play against Wigan, Hull KR, St Helens, they’re the markers,” Powell said. “I’m not disrespecting Castleford. I just think, for us, it’s about being consistent against the better teams.
“We’ve got Hull KR next week. That’ll be a big challenge for us, and it’s those sort of challenges that I want us to really approach in a way that stands us out.
“I think those performances will stand us out as a team that can be really threatening and challenging when it comes to the end of the season, where it’s really important.”
