Wakefield Trinity 2025 season review
- Overview
- Highs
- Lows
- 2025 RLB Player of the Year – Mike McMeeken
- Reasons to be positive in 2026
- My 2025 prediction – 10th
- Final 2025 position – 6th (+4)
Overview
It was a dream return to Super League for Wakefield in 2025, as they secured a top six spot and played some of the best attacking rugby in the competition.
The 688 points they scored was the third-highest in the league, and it probably would have been even higher if Salford’s Round 22 forefit hadn’t gone down as just a 48-0 win for Trinity.
In the final few weeks of the season it was a straight shootout for 6th between Wakey and Hull FC, and Trinity looked in danger when they suffered a surprise 26-22 loss at Castleford in Round 25.
They bounced back with a highly impressive 28-12 win over champions Hull KR though, and after seeing off Salford in the final round of the regular season, they faced their first play-off game since 2012, against Leigh Leopards.
They went on to lose 26-10, but it didn’t overshadow a remarkable first year back from the Championship for Trinity.
Highs
A top six finish was outstanding for Wakefield in their first year back in Super League. Individually, there were so many standouts, including Caius Faatili, who scored one of the tries of the season at Magic Weekend.
Then there were the results. A 14-12 win at Leeds on the opening weekend set the tone, and Wakey went on to beat four of the top five over the course of the year, including both of the top two.
Lows
The 26-22 defeat to local rivals Castleford in Round 25 threatened to derail Trinity’s play-off charge, and it came just two weeks after a heavy loss at Wigan.
Losing a play-off match is never a good thing either, and Wakefield also had the worst defence of the top six sides, but ultimately I’m just scratching around for negatives at this point. All in all, it was a great year for Trinity, with far more ups than downs.
2025 RLB Player of the Year – Mike McMeeken
There are plenty of contenders for this award that it’s hard to pick just one player, but I’m going for McMeeken. His arrival from Catalans at the start of the year was the kind of signing Trinity needed if they were to compete this year, and he certainly delivered. So much so, that he was named in the Dream Team and played in all three of England’s Ashes tests.
Reasons to be positive in 2026
Trinity have given themselves a great platform to build on in 2026. Crowds were impressive in 2025, and after the year they had I’d expect them to remain strong next year.
They’ve made a couple of good signings from the NRL too – Jazz Tevaga, who featured in the Pacific Championships, and Tyson Smoothy, who was a Premiership winner with the Broncos this year.
My 2025 prediction – 10th
Final 2025 position – 6th (+4)
I was wrong about Wakefield and I’m happy to admit it. I never saw them finishing bottom, but I certainly didn’t see a top six spot coming either, so full credit to Daryl Powell and his players for an impressive comeback campaign.
