Daryl Powell reveals motivation behind Wakefield Trinity's unexpected play-off push
Long before they took their first steps back into Super League, Wakefield Trinity had already found their edge.
At Belle Vue, the pre-season odds – 100/1 to lift the trophy at Old Trafford – were plastered on the walls as a daily reminder.
It was all the motivation Daryl Powell and his players needed.
Even now, Trinity are priced at 66/1 with one bookmaker still unconvinced by their title credentials.
That is despite a 46-10 rout of Huddersfield Giants that enhanced Wakefield's growing reputation as one of Super League's great entertainers.
Trinity's play-off destiny is in their own hands after moving back into the top six with eight rounds remaining.
When they secured their return to the top flight last October, this is exactly where they wanted to be.
"That's why we were so excited coming up into Super League," said Powell following the eight-try victory over Huddersfield.
“Everybody wrote us off and put us at 100/1. That's motivation and fuel for us all. We’ve used that and still are.
"Teams are probably still taking us a bit lightly. They all talk about us throwing the ball about but that's an oversimplification of the way we're playing.
"We'll just keep on doing what we're doing. If we're on then we're a tough team to beat.
"It was a really strong performance. We started a little bit slow but once we got our teeth into the game, we were just too good."
With fresh memories of their second-half collapse against fellow play-off hopefuls Hull FC, Wakefield had questions to answer when Huddersfield's Jacob Gagai raced over for the opening try.
Trinity's response was emphatic as they issued a statement to their top-six rivals.
Rookie winger Jayden Myers scored a double during a 19-minute purple patch that turned an early deficit into a commanding 30-4 half-time lead.
Wakefield added three more tries after the break to complete their biggest win over the Giants in the Super League era.
The good news for Trinity is that they still have four games to come against teams from the bottom three.
"We play Huddersfield again, have got a couple of games against Salford and Cas away," added Powell, who has seen Wakefield's injury problems ease in recent weeks.
"We've got Leeds and Saints in our next couple of games. We've also got Hull KR at home and Wigan away, so it's a mixed bag.
"It's all about us. If we play well against anybody, I feel like we'll be in the game.
"Don't take anything for granted, I'd say. If you go in with the wrong attitude against teams you're expected to beat, you get beat.
"For us, it's all about attitude, staying focused and playing our game. We went away from that last week (against Hull) and you get hurt if you do that.
"It's important we stay focused and take it week to week. It doesn't matter who you're playing – it's about your performance levels.
"Competition for places helps more than anything else and that's something we haven't really had this year. That'll make a big difference for us."