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2025 Season Review: Wakefield Trinity

11 hrs

Daryl Powell's Wakefield Trinity impressed on their return to the top flight.

Trinity marked their Betfred Super League return with an accomplished campaign that culminated in a Play-Offs place.

Daryl Powell’s side beat four of the top five during a season that illustrated the club’s overall process under owner Matt Ellis.

Mason Lino ? Ice in his veins to win it for @WTrinityRL ?#SuperLeague pic.twitter.com/kipYXj50i6
— Betfred Super League (@SuperLeague) July 24, 2025

Regularly playing in front of bumper crowds at their newly developed DIY Kitchens Stadium home, Trinity’s season only came to and end with a 26-10 Play-Offs defeat to Leigh.

By that stage they had left no doubt that the club belongs back at the highest level of the sport in this country.

Wakefield’s ability to compete at the top table was signalled as early as Round One, when they ground out a 14-12 win at Leeds.

Trinity thumped the Leopards 40-14 in Round Six before exiting the Betfred Challenge Cup to the same opposition the week after, and from that point were always in the race for sixth spot.

An impressive victory at home to Wigan in mid-June kept them in the hunt along with a second narrow win against the Rhinos, before a surprise defeat at local rivals Castleford in September briefly put their top six hopes at risk.

It was then that Powell’s side produced arguably their best performance of the season, delaying Hull KR’s League Leaders’ Shield celebrations with a comprehensive 28-12 home win against the table-topping Robins.

Another fantastic @WTrinityRL score before the break ?#SuperLeague pic.twitter.com/zg44f490v8
— Betfred Super League (@SuperLeague) September 13, 2025

All of this added up to a season to be proud of, and one that suggests Trinity can continue to grow in coming years.

Among a host of key performers, the prolific Max Jowitt finished as the side’s leading try scorer and the competition’s joint top points scorer with plenty of incisive contributions either from full-back or in the halves.

Wingers Tom Johnstone and Lachlan Walsmley also reached double figures in an indication of Powell’s typically expansive approach, with youngster Oliver Pratt continuing his impressive development at centre.

Next top try scorer was popular prop Caius Faatili, who caused opposition defences problems all season with his rampaging runs, romping to a memorable double against the Tigers at Magic Weekend in Newcastle.

Fellow front rower and skipper Mike McMeeken made the Dream Team after a season of consistency that laid the platform for his side up front.

Other key members of the pack included the ever reliable Jay Pitts and two hookers at opposite ends of their careers in the experienced Liam Hood and rising youngster Harvey Smith.

Mason Lino was a near ever-present at half-back, with his nerveless drop goals sealing memorable one point wins over neighbours Leeds and Castleford.

Now the challenge for Trinity will be to continue their progression in season two of their return, which historically can prove difficult.

But with the wily Powell at the helm, a handful of impressive new signings including NRL duo Jazz Tevaga and Tyson Smoothy secured, and a general feel-good factor around the club continuing, you certainly can’t bet against it.

Key Man

An experienced Jay Pitts was a back rower played more minutes than any other forward and topped Trinity’s tackle count with some typically unstinting efforts.