Renouf Atoni impresses as Wakefield Trinity beat Leeds Rhinos in Festive Challenge

Applegarth took the hot seat in September, following Willie Poching’s shock dismissal and has inherited a team operating on a limited budget and having said farewell to a host of influential players, including try-scoring wing Tom Johnstone, captain/stand-off Jacob Miller, prop David Fifita and back-rowers Tinirau Arona and James Batchelor.

Unsurprisingly, Trinity are already being tipped as likely relegation candidates, but it is a similar story every year and since entering the top flight in 1999, Wakefield have confounded expectations every time.

Certainly, Applegarth isn’t approaching his debut season in the hot seat simply to survive and though it would be one of the competition’s great shocks if they could do it, he feels he has a squad capable of breaking into Super League’s top six.

“We’d like to think we have spent really well on our salary cap,” said Applegarth, after seeing recruits Morgan Smith and Renouf Atoni impress in Boxing Day’s pre-season win at Leeds Rhinos.

“We have got our own goals, as a team, staff and me personally. It is professional sport and you play to win, as simple as that.

“You want to be in the play-offs; I am sure every single coach would say that and getting in there is a different thing, but I think if we can keep our squad fit, we can compete with anyone.

“I want to be competing and playing in the big games, like anyone does. If you ask anyone in our changing room, they are exactly the same. That’s the mentality we are trying to build, be competitors and back yourself.”

Boxing Day, more than seven weeks out from Super League round one, won’t have a bearing on Wakefield’s season, but any win at Leeds is a good one and their 38-20 victory was a timely boost to morale.

Wakefield fielded a stronger side than their hosts and trailed twice, at 10-8 and 20-14, but ran in five unanswered tries in the final quarter to emerge deserved victors, with Renouf among those to cross Rhinos’ line.

“He has been in the country about 10 days and he was desperate to play,” said Applegarth, of the New Zealand-born front-rower who has figured in the NRL for Canterbury Bulldogs. “He is an exciting player and hopefully one who will take a few by surprise this year.”

Smith began his career in Leeds’ youth system, has played at the elite level for Warrington Wolves and London Broncos and spent last season with Featherstone Rovers.

“He plays some great eyes-up rugby and he will definitely be in the mix with Lee [Gaskell] and Mason [Lino] for round one,” added Applegarth.

“There’s a pretty difficult choice there and he put his hand up to play nine for us. For Morgan to play 40 minutes at nine and then move to half-back and play both [roles] how he did, you know you’ve got a good player on your hands.

“He will be a really handy addition to our squad and I am pleased he has shown what he can do.”

Wakefield scored the first two tries, through Jay Pitts and Reece Lyne, but Leeds rallied via new signing James McDonnell – Ash Handley converting – and Liam Tindall.

Eddie Batty’s try on the stroke of half-time, improved by Max Jowitt, edged Wakefield back in front before Morgan Gannon and Kruise Leeming crossed and Mackenzie Turner added a goal to give Leeds a six-point advantage.

Atoni’s close–range try turned the tide, Lee Kershaw bagged a brace and Jordan Crowther and Lewis Murphy also touched down. Robbie Butterworth and Lee Gaskell landed a conversion each.

Applegarth noted: “We’ve been working hard on certain things in training and when we got that composure with ball in hand and we started knocking a few sets out in areas of the field we wanted to, I thought we looked okay.”

Leeds coach Rohan Smith fielded a handful of established first teamers, alongside new signings and young players.

“The more experienced players and the players at the front end of our squad showed a lot of promising signs and looked fit and healthy”, he said.

“Wakefield had a very experienced team out there at various times and it was fantastic for our young players to get that exposure.”

Leeds Rhinos: Handley, Simpson, Edwards, Olpherts, Tindall, Gannon, Myler, Holroyd, Leeming, Walters, Gibbons, McDonnell, Donaldson. Subs Sangare, Nicholson-Watton, O’Connor, Turner, Edgell, Ruan, Field, J Smith.

Wakefield Trinity: Jowitt, Kershaw, Lyne, Pratt, Murphy, Gaskell, Lino, Bowden, M Smith, Whitbread, Pitts, Ashurst, Crowther. Subs Bowes, Atoni, Battye, Eseh, Butler, Windrow, Law, Butterworth.

Referee: B Thaler (Wakefield).