What Wakefield Trinity’s massive win means for the Super League run-in

It was a brilliant performance today at Belle Vue for Wakefield Trinity as they landed their fourth successive home win to see off Warrington Wolves and hand Daryl Powell’s side a sixth straight loss.

Obviously it’s a huge boost for Trinity in their bid for survival whilst it’s almost eliminated any chance of Warrington landing a home playoff semi-final, never mind the League Leaders Shield which at one point they looked red hot favourites for.

Today’s monster score at Belle Vue has had repercussions all the way up the Super League ladder with one team jumping up a spot despite not even having played, whilst a future fixture has become a significant bit more important.

The action today saw Wakefield win by a huge score of 42-6, Trinity becoming the third home team this weekend to register more than 40 points after both Wigan Warriors and Catalans Dragons huge home wins.

For Wigan it allowed them to jump ahead of their neighbours Leigh from third into second, whilst that win actually benefitted Catalans as it allowed for them to open up a wider margin atop the table to four points.

The Perpignan based outfit now look set for a second League Leaders Shield in their history whilst the battle for second and that all important home playoff semi-final now looks tighter than ever with Wigan and Leigh both level on points and Saints just two points back with a game in hand.

The major effect of today’s result though is obviously the fact that Wakefield have now equalled Castleford’s win tally for the season at four, however for Mark Applegarth’s side those four wins have all come within their last six games whereas for Andy Last it’s four in seventeen since he took over in round four.

Not to worry for Castleford though because they entered round 20 with a huge 66 point advantage on points difference over the Trin. Well, not anymore.

Castleford’s 34-16 defeat slimmed that margin down to 48 and then Wakefield’s huge 42-6 win today slimmed it even further to just 12 points which is minor.

The clash between the two sides in three weeks time on August 18th has got even more important because before Wakefield had to win and with a large margin but now even a six point win would let them surpass the Tigers.

Even more interesting is that the game is at Wakefield, with Wakefield on their impressive four game run at home and Castleford winning just once away from home all season.

There’s even more knock on effects from today and they obviously revolve around Warrington who having been clear first after their first eight games and eight wins, have now slipped to sixth.

Wembley bound Hull KR have jumped a place in the table without even having played such was the margin of defeat for Powell’s side.

Over the last ten games only Castleford have boasted worse form than Warrington with the two teams winning two and three times respectively.

The result today has added even more spice to that 18th August fixture but also to round 22’s game between Leeds Rhinos and Warrington, with the Rhinos potentially set to force their way into the playoffs that afternoon.

That weekend of Super League could be massive in relation to the 2023 season as it coincides with the weekend Wakey and Cas face off as well. Whatever you do, don’t go on h0liday for the epic week that promises to be round 22.