The Yorkshire Post's rugby league writer James O'Brien looks ahead to Wakefield Trinity's 2025 campaign in Super League, picking out reasons for optimism, areas of concern, key players and a predicted finish
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00:00I think Wakefield have recruited really well for where they were in the Championship, obviously
00:16last year. They've got some real big names, Mike McMeekin, Tom Johnston, Jake Truman,
00:22guys like that. It's pretty much unheard of for a Championship side to be able to recruit
00:27that calibre of player, but Wakefield have done that. They've obviously got a winning
00:32mentality as well. They've come off winning the treble in the Championship, a lower level,
00:39but it creates that winning culture and I think that would be good for Wakefield, particularly
00:45after the season they had the previous season in Super League. They're in a much better
00:48place to attack Super League now than they were then the last time they were in it. I
00:54think Wakefield can enjoy a positive season, but again, it's just whether they've got the
01:00depth to cope with injuries, but on the face of it, they are primed to kick on and really
01:06make an impression in Super League this time.
01:14They've got that winning culture, they've got that winning mentality. The concern is
01:17when they do start to lose games, they need to learn how to lose games again and bounce
01:23back. I think they lost twice all year last year. It can be not easy, because it's not
01:31easy winning games in the Rugby League, but once you get used to it, you get on that roll
01:37and nothing can derail you. But if you do lose one or two in a row, that would be the
01:43real test for Darrell Powell's side and how they bounce back from that and whether they
01:47can come again and keep their morale high. That would be the key for Wakefield.
01:57I think Mike McMeekin, new captain for Wakefield, he's been brought in as a marquee man. He's
02:03on a lot of money and he's got a lead from the front as captain as well. I think if he
02:08has a good season, he's one of the best props in the comp. Nowadays, he's an England international.
02:14If he leads from the front, everyone else will follow. Obviously, you've got Tom Johnson
02:17on the wing as well. If he stays fit, which he struggled to do the first time around at
02:22Wakefield, but he's more professional now. He looks after himself more. I know I've named
02:29two there, but if those guys justify the salaries they're on and enjoy strong seasons, then
02:35everything else will fall into place around them.
02:40I think Wakefield could finish in and around the play-off places, but I'm just going to
02:49hedge my bets and put them 9th for now. I just think it's a big step up from the Championship.
02:56They've got a good 17, but beyond that, there are question marks. There's a lot of unknown
03:02quantities, a lot of players who haven't played Super League. So, while I think they could
03:08dually and go straight into the play-offs, maybe even go far in the Challenge Cup, I
03:12think the safe bet of taking the safe option and put them 9th with scope for improvement
03:19beyond that.