Resurgent Trinity are threat to Leeds Rhinos – McDermott

Although they are au fait with the annual complexities of play-off football, winning four of the last five Grand Finals, Leeds are under no little pressure this evening.

They face a rampant Wakefield Trinity Wildcats side who – for all their unexpected inclusion here – have no equals on current form.

Richard Agar’s side, incredibly, seek an eighth successive win while Leeds have stuttered into the end-of-season reckoning, falling in three of their previous four games including the Challenge Cup final against Warrington.

The key to play-off football is being fit, healthy and in form, characteristics all of which Wakefield currently possess.

Speaking to the Yorkshire Post, McDermott agreed: “Absolutely.

“They’re on the back of seven straight victories and seven straight performances as well; they didn’t jag any of those wins.

“They’ve been strong and Richard Agar has done a good job in galvanising that group and getting them to play to their strengths.

“They’ve done it to us recently beating us a few weeks ago at Belle Vue so we know that they know they can beat us.

“They’ll be excited by the challenge but for us to be aware of that helps us; we’re under no illusions of what the task is Saturday night. It’s going to be a big game.”

Leeds, who finished fifth to Wakefield’s eighth, memorably surged to win the Grand Final from the same position last year.

They became the first to ever do so from outside the top three and it is hoped in the Headingley camp they can repeat that same run of form when needed most.

But McDermott admitted: “We’re certainly not relying on what’s happened in the past.

“It has been a long season for us and we have not achieved what we wanted to do at the start of it.

“We wanted to finish higher and be better on a more consistent basis. We haven’t and that means we start the play-offs in fifth and there are no second chances from hereon in.

“However, we have a lot of belief and we know we need to produce our four best performances of the season over the next month.”

It would be foolish to write off the World Club champions, especially given their vast experience and the timely return of Danny McGuire’s creative and strike threat after a month out injured.

But Wakefield remain a significant threat considering, unlike Hull FC who were not in great shape as Leeds’s opponents 12 months ago, they are in possession of so much confidence.

“I think if you gave every team in the play-offs a Clubcall for who they could play in the first round, no one would pick Wakefield at this stage because of the run they are on,” said McDermott.

Possibly Wakefield’s lack of previous exposure – this is only the third time in their history they have reached the play-offs – may hinder them slightly.

But, the Leeds coach rightly points out that they have players who have featured in Grand Finals, not least Richard Mathers, Ali Lauitiiti and Lee Smith who all won titles with Leeds.

Loose forward Danny Washbrook, meanwhile, played for Hull FC when they lost against St Helens at Old Trafford in 2006.

“The preparation towards it might help us and that bit of experience of big games,” he said.

“You can read into their lack of experience as much as you want... they have enough players who have played in Grand Finals over there and won them so Wakefield are not completely experience free. I just think it comes down to kick-off and who performs better on the night. It’s a game of rugby league that we’ll need to play really, really well to beat them.”

Lauitiiti, the game-breaking 33-year-old second-row who has been a revelation since McDermott released him last winter, returns to Agar’s side after illness.

“Ali’s a good player and I’m pleased for him,” said McDermott. “He’s done really well for Wakefield every week and come up with some big displays as well.”

Given he was born in Wakefield, and started out his success-laden playing career with the city’s Eastmoor amateur club, McDermott is delighted to see Trinity thriving.

Only last year they were on the brink of disaster having entered administration.

However, new owner Andrew Glover has put in place some impressive starting blocks to help revive one of the sport’s most famous names and the Leeds boss is fulsome in their praise.

“First and foremost I’m a rugby league fan and the more strong clubs we have in the competition the better,” he said.

“It’s great news. Wakefield have been a bit of a floating team for years but just recently Andrew Glover and Richard Agar have given them some real stability.

“They’ve recruited really well, the coach is doing a good job, the ground’s looking a little better and they have got some plans in place.

“You can see Wakefield is a credible club. The biggest compliment I can give it is it sounds, looks and operates credibly now which is great for the competition.”

That aside, defiant Leeds remain intent on bursting their bubble.