'Pressure now on Hull FC and Huddersfield Giants': Wakefield Trinity and Castleford Tigers react to Grade A confirmation

Wakefield and Castleford were in danger of missing out altogether at the start of the grading era but have both achieved Grade A status, which guarantees a seat at the top table with an exemption from relegation.

Trinity replace London Broncos in the only change from this year, meaning a straight swap between the team that won the Championship and the side that finished bottom of Super League.

Wakefield have been ranked eighth on 15.09 points, while the Tigers are one place below after recording a score of 15.02.

Hull and Huddersfield, meanwhile, only secured Super League places for 2025 as two of the highest-ranked Grade B sides, leaving both clubs looking over their shoulder at the chasing pack of ambitious Championship teams.

The challenge for Wakefield now is to keep their score above the 15-point threshold for Super League security.

"I'm confident we'll maintain that Grade A score," Trinity owner Ellis told The Yorkshire Post.

"We're not looking to drop backwards; we're looking to go forward and become an established Grade A club. If IMG are going to stay, we want to be Grade A every year.

"The clubs that were in the middle like Hull, Huddersfield and Salford probably sat pretty relaxed on IMG all year, whereas ourselves and Castleford in particular knew we really needed to do something.

"We were probably the hardest working in terms of trying to improve our facilities and everything. Now the pressure has flipped to them. If you're sat where Huddersfield and Salford are now, they'll be feeling how we did last year.

"IMG are definitely going to make you improve where you can but for some of them it's not that easy because they don't own their own stadiums."

Wednesday's confirmation of a Grade A score caps a remarkable year for Wakefield since Ellis took over.

Trinity were originally ranked 11th on 12.52 points to leave the club some way short of a guaranteed Super League spot.

However, Ellis has worked tirelessly to build on the timely stadium redevelopment and head coach Daryl Powell has delivered on the field to give Wakefield the extra push they needed.

Last week's Grand Final victory over Toulouse Olympique sealed the Championship treble and lifted Trinity's score above 15 points.

"It's a great achievement by everybody at the club," said Ellis.

"We've bounced back and the score we've received is the icing on the cake.

"It's been an absolutely fantastic few weeks for the club with the awards at Leeds, the Grand Final and now we've cleared this final hurdle and we're back in Super League."

A few short miles away at Wheldon Road, Castleford are celebrating an achievement that appeared improbable this time last year.

Like neighbours Wakefield, the Tigers were given little hope of making up the ground required to achieve Grade A status after amassing only 12.16 points in the indicative phase to leave the club outside the top 12.

However, Martin Jepson, who recently struck a deal to take full control of the club, has made a significant investment since joining the board at the end of last year and now has his reward.

"I'm absolutely delighted to have got a Grade A ranking," said the new Castleford owner.

"I don't think anybody expected us to be in this position at the start of the season.

"It's great credit to the people at the club who have worked tirelessly to make sure we've done it. We've addressed areas of weakness and are seeking to improve as a club.

"There are things we wouldn't have done if it wasn't for IMG. In that respect it's worked because it's made us address deficiencies we had as a club whilst accepting that there's an awful lot more we can still do and will try to do."

Castleford's score means there is no margin for error as they aim to avoid the uncertainty of this year with 2026 in mind.

When asked if he was confident of maintaining a Grade A score, Jepson replied: "It's a difficult one to answer because there's still talk that the criteria may change next year, particularly over things like fandom.

"It's very difficult to say we 100 per cent will but clearly we now have a focus on what needs to be done and will strive to maintain our Grade A status.

"My own view is that the sport needs to pause, reflect on where we are at the moment and look at what is appropriate for next year.

"For me and the club, it's caused a huge amount of uncertainty over the last 12 months but it has brought new investment into Castleford and a renewed focus. That's the positive but the uncertainty it's created among the fans and the rest of the league has not been helpful.

"The noise when I joined as a director and investor was very much that Castleford would not make the top 12 for Super League let alone Grade A so that's a massive achievement in its own right."

Nine clubs achieved Grade A status with Leigh Leopards joining the group of elite clubs and Hull dropping out.

After a dismal season on the pitch, the Black and Whites slipped to a score of 14.51 but remain above Huddersfield (14.48) and Salford Red Devils (13.97).

Championship Grand Finalists Toulouse missed out on a place in the top flight by just under half a point in 13th place.

St Helens lead the way with a score of 17.02 out of a possible 20, with Wigan Warriors second on 16.91 and Leeds Rhinos third on 16.84 after losing top spot.

Keighley Cougars, the most vociferous critics of the grading system and one of the few to vote against it, proved to be the biggest beneficiaries, rising 11 places to 19th and a Grade B score of 9.02.

Top 20

1: St Helens - 17.02

2: Wigan Warriors - 16.91

3: Leeds Rhinos - 16.84

4: Warrington Wolves - 16.27

5: Hull KR - 15.97

6: Catalans Dragons - 15.52

7: Leigh Leopards - 15.13

8: Wakefield Trinity - 15.09

9: Castleford Tigers - 15.02

10: Hull FC - 14.51

11: Huddersfield Giants - 14.48

12: Salford Red Devils - 13.97

13: Toulouse Olympique - 13.58

14: London Broncos - 12.65

15: York Knights - 12.42

16: Bradford Bulls - 12.15

17: Barrow Raiders - 11.22

18: Featherstone Rovers - 10.75

19: Keighley Cougars - 9.02

20: Halifax Panthers - 8.79