Wakefield 24 Bradford 16: Trinity provide all the answers to clinch that first £1m jackpot

For an elated Wakefield Trinity, of course, the obvious talking point would have been what if Bradford Bulls’s Danny Addy had nailed that 76th-minute penalty to draw level at 18-18 and send the inaugural ‘Million-Pound Game’ into even more frightening territory?

The Scotland loose-forward, arguably the embodiment of Bradford’s drive this term to earn an immediate promotion out of the Championship, was marginally off-cue, though, and, therefore, the most lucrative fixture in rugby league’s calendar painfully slipped his side by.

However, there are far more subtle questions, too, such as what if Jordan Tansey had not persuaded Wildcats coach Brian Smith to ignore his initial belief and, instead, select him at full-back for the first time in the biggest game in the club’s recent history?

Tansey, a gifted but itinerant player mainly due to his maverick nature, duly excelled and came up with some telling plays as gritty Wakefield edged home amid all the nervous tension and secured their place in Super League for 2016.

Furthermore, what if Scott Moore – a similarly well-travelled player who has wound up one way or another at Belle Vue – had not defied medical science, and common sense, to declare himself fit to take part in the showpiece?

The former England hooker had played just two games for Trinity after joining on loan from Castleford when he ruptured his biceps in a training ground collision with a team-mate on the eve of their opening Qualifiers game with Bradford in August.

Surgery was required and Smith said, with a three-month recovery, the 27-year-old was done for the season.

Yet, there Moore was on Saturday, just seven weeks later, effortlessly skipping out of dummy-half to send Anthony Mullally over for a try in the 44th minute and then, soon after Addy’s misfortune and with just 71 seconds remaining, breaking clear to score himself, Tansey improving.

“That’s huge testament to Scotty really and how tough he is,” said Danny Kirmond, the Wakefield captain who also played with Moore at Huddersfield Giants in 2009 when the combative rake was borrowed for a season from St Helens and duly earned international honours.

“He’s on loan here and not even contracted to the club so for him to do that and put his body on the line just a few weeks after a bicep reconstruction is crazy, really.

“It shows what it means to him and how tight the boys are here as well. But it’s an amazing feeling – relief more than anything – to win through like that against a very good Bradford team.”

Moore admitted: “I was a bit dubious about playing. It was a couple of weeks earlier than I’d have liked, but I had to have a dig for the boys.

“I was always going to play really – even if it snapped again – due to the importance of this game.

“It’s turned out not too bad for me; we’ve won and my arm’s got through all right, too.”

Moore will, no doubt, be one of the numerous players Wakefield chairman Michael Carter talks to in the coming days about 2016 commitments.

“I’m contracted to Cas for next year, but I don’t know what’s happening yet,” he said. “I just want to enjoy this and see what happens. I’ve played in Grand Finals and internationals but that was probably the most pressure I’ve played under; there were mortgages and livelihoods on the line.”

Wildcats led just 6-0 at the break following a smart try from Kirmond, Joe Arundel converting, and when Mullally crossed, they should have pushed on against opponents who were struggling for cohesion amid the enormity of such an occasion.

But Jacob Miller, the otherwise excellent Australian half-back, spilled when Mullally poured forward in the next set and the visitors made the most of their reprieve.

Adrian Purtell, their indomitable captain, produced a remarkable pass to furnish Danny Williams a try that Addy improved from wide out and then Matty Blythe pulled back another in the 54th minute.

Addy missed that kick, though, and so when Miller slipped Hull FC-bound Danny Washbrook through on the hour for Tansey to add his second conversion, Smith’s side were once more in charge.

Yet Purtell would not lie down, the Australian centre powering over following good work from Adam O’Brien out of dummy-half in the 64th minute for Addy’s kick to narrow the gap to two points and set up an incredibly tense final blast.

Wakefield, whose forwards Michael Simon, Nick Scruton and the indefatigable Chris Annakin proved too dominant, did just enough to hold on.

Wakefield Trinity Wildcats: Tansey; Lyne, Tupou, Arundel, Johnstone; Miller, Godinet; Scruton, Sio, Simon, Kirmond, Washbrook, Annakin. Substitutes: Yates, Mullally, Moore, Lauitiiti.

Bradford Bulls: Mullaney; Williams, Purtell, Nielsen, Blythe; Gaskell, Siejka; Clough, O’Brien, Sidlow, Olbison, Ferguson, Addy. Substitutes: Pitts, Baile, Crossley, Lauaki.

Referee: R Silverwood (Mirfield).