'Close but not good enough': Daryl Powell assesses Wakefield Trinity's early-season form

Trinity took their place among the early pacesetters thanks to a five-match winning run, only to fall short on the road at St Helens and Leeds Rhinos.

Wakefield also recently lost a Challenge Cup quarter-final at home to Wigan Warriors, raising questions over their ability to win the fixtures that truly matter.

"I feel like we're close but not really good enough," said Powell.

"For large parts of the St Helens game, I felt like we were where we needed to be. Everyone talks about big moments in games and we perhaps didn't quite manage them as well as we would have wanted to in both games.

"I just feel we need to be a little bit better in those big games. We want to be competing and winning those games.

"If we have a bit of luck with personnel, we can get the team flying. Mentality-wise, we've got to hold firmer for longer.

"I'm confident we can bridge the gap. But you've got to be outstanding to win those games – and I don't think we have been the last couple of weeks."

Wakefield face Catalans Dragons and Toulouse Olympique before the next Challenge Cup break, presenting an opportunity to get their top-four bid back on track.

Catalans sit just outside the play-off places but head to Belle Vue having won only once away from home.

"It's important," said Powell. "I think we're all disappointed with our last two games so this is a key game for us.

"Catalans have been up and down. The coach moved on, Shez (Ryan Sheridan) has taken over and they've done some good things. They've got good players across the field and are dangerous.

"We've focused on ourselves but have done our homework and looked at where their strengths are. They're a very big, physical team – huge in the middle of the field.

"We've got to be very good in that area. We just have to play well. We haven't played well for a couple of weeks, not consistently anyway. If we get that right, we know how good we are as a team."

Powell welcomes back Seth Nikotemo, Jazz Tevaga and Isaiah Vagana, while Tyson Smoothy is poised to feature at a time when he has been linked with an early return to Australia for family reasons.

The hooker joined Trinity on a three-year deal after winning the NRL title with Brisbane Broncos but his future is uncertain as he prepares to face Catalans.

Powell expects Smoothy to remain at Belle Vue until at least the end of the season.

"He had some family stuff at our last game with his little one," said the Wakefield boss, who is still without Max Jowitt and Tom Johnstone. "I won't expand on that.

"He’s here for the rest of this year, he's pretty settled and enjoying his time at the club. We'll see where that goes to down the track.”