IT MAY have ended in defeat but Wakefield’s Boxing Day trip to Leeds was otherwise just what Daryl Powell was after.
The coach is leading Trinity into Super League after winning the Championship title last year, and they begin their campaign back at Headingley on February 15.
That is still almost seven weeks away, meaning the pre-season game – which Leeds won 18-16 – will likely have little bearing.
Nonetheless it was a useful exercise for Powell, who fielded a mix of new signings, veterans of their second-tier campaign and youngsters.
Dom Sinfield (who scored a try), Cain Staveley-Carr, Zach McSwiney, Tom Delaney and Cass Walker-Smith all came off the bench having not yet made a senior appearance for Wakefield.
“I’m pretty pleased, for three reasons,” said Powell.
“We got to have a look at young players. For them playing at Headingley is phenomenal, it’s such a great place to play.
“We got to look at ourselves and some of the things we need to work on a little but more than we might have thought.
“And then we got a really good look at Leeds.
“It couldn’t have been any better really from all those perspectives.”
Wakefield’s only other pre-season game will be against Castleford on January 24, for Luke Gale’s testimonial.
They only began training in the final week of November, after being the final club to finish their season with the Championship Grand Final.
“We’re happy with where we’re at, and we’ve got a bit of time to go now,” added Powell.
“We always knew it was going to be a short pre-season but we’re in a good place.”
