Wakefield Trinity boss Daryl Powell: Pressure's on and it's time to make a move on top six

A tough recent schedule has seen Trinity face the top two in the last two weeks as well as likely play-offs teams in Leigh Leopards and Leeds Rhinos.

Defeats in three of those games have given the team a reality check and left them just outside the top six. But head coach Powell believes his side can climb into the play-off places again with their next matches offering better opportunities for victories.

Trinity face Catalans Dragons at home this Saturday then go to Hull FC and Huddersfield Giants in the following weeks before a rematch with the Rhinos at the end of July.

Powell is hoping to get some of his injured players back in the next few weeks, which he is confident will be a big boost.

He said: "We’ve got seven front line middles players missing so for the boys to be having a dig as they are I’m not too worried about us going down the track.

"I still think we’ve got everything we need and when we start to get some of those middles back we’ll be in a good place.

"We had 10 missing last week and 11 missing this week then Truey (Jake Trueman) goes. We had a full-back on the bench, but that tells it’s own story of where we’re at injury-wise.

"Hopefully Mike McMeeken will be all right, if not next week, then the week after. Caleb Uele is not too far off either and he potentially plays next week or the week after.

“Tommy Doyle is pretty close as well and then we get people like Matty Storton coming back around the Leeds game.”

Powell added: "All these games coming up are real pivotal for us. We’ve come to a point in our season when we’ve had a good look at a really tough block and found out about ourselves.

"The pressure’s on now, if we are going to make the six we have to start making a move over this next period. We understand that and we know we have to be better than what we showed in the second half (at Hull KR).

"I think this group of players have been through so much over the last month and proved a hell of a lot to ourselves. We have some big challenges coming up and we know we need to be better in a couple of areas, but we’re going to be a bit stiffer personnel wise, which will help us with that.”

On the Trueman injury, Powell explained: “He’s just got a couple of whacks to his shoulder and he was a little bit rattled.

“It’s a shoulder problem. I don’t think it’s too bad but he wasn’t in great shape at half-time. Hopefully he’s okay.”

Trinity stars Tom Johnstone and Mike McMeeken have been selected in England’s 32-man train-on squad ahead of the ABK Beer Ashes Series this autumn.

It is reward for their performances in helping Wakefield make a positive start to the Super League season following promotion.

Johnstone rejoined the club in 2025 following two seasons with Catalans Dragons. The winger has been ever present so far in making 19 appearances and leads the club with 10 tries in all competitions alongside Max Jowitt.

McMeeken has led from the front for Trinity as club captain, racking up 17 games so far this year. The 11-time England international has been a stand-out this season since his move from Catalans and is keen to add to his cap total this autumn.