Daryl Powell makes comedic jibe as unusual motivation revealed after Huddersfield Giants thumping

Wakefield boss Daryl Powell joked about the bookmaker’s odds still being against Trinity this season after their big win against Huddersfield Giants, and revealed that his side are using that as a source of motivation.

Trinity were 48-2 winners against the Giants at Belle Vue on Saturday evening, scoring eight tries and restricting the visitors to just two points which came via the kicking tee from a first half penalty.

That victory is the first Powell’s side have earned on the field since beating Leeds Rhinos 15-4 on home soil late last month.

They have since picked up two more competition points, though those were awarded to them along with a 48-0 walkover scoreline after crisis club Salford Red Devils cancelled the pair’s scheduled Round 22 clash over player welfare concerns.

Crucially though, Saturday’s huge victory over Huddersfield has seen Wakefield move up into sixth spot on the Super League ladder, and finishing in a play-off spot is now in their hands with just three ‘regular’ season games remaining.

Daryl Powell makes comedic jibe as unusual motivation revealed after Huddersfield Giants thumping

This is Trinity’s first season back in Super League having been promoted last autumn on the back of a treble-winning campaign at second tier level.

Earlier in the day on Saturday, Wakefield had seen Hull FC go down 34-0 at home against Leeds Rhinos. That slip-up from the Airlie Birds allowed Powell‘s side to leapfrog them.

Speaking to Sky Sports following their win, the Trinity head coach joked: “Betfred had us at pretty big odds at the start of the season, and I think they’re still the same!

“We get motivation from all sorts of things, but the club has been class this year.

“Where we are at the moment, it’s just an opportunity for us, but it’s also an experience back in Super League.

“A lot of players haven’t played at this level before, and a lot of them are doing a really class job.”

Wakefield’s final three fixtures see them take on strugglers Castleford Tigers and Salford Red Devils, with those two games sandwiching a clash against Super League leaders Hull KR.

Only the meeting with the Robins is on home soil, but they will enter the two games on the road as favourites.

Powell continued: “Opportunities are there to be taken, we’ll need to be outstanding to take those opportunities, but you’ve got to be in it to win it.

“If we’re in the six, then we’ll have a fair pop at it.”

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