Wakefield Trinity hope to use Tom Johnstone and Mike McMeeken signings as catalyst for success

The new owner quickly outlined his objectives, which included transforming Trinity into top-six contenders in Super League in the coming years.

It was viewed by many as a pipedream for a club that won only four games in 2023 but Ellis has been as good as his word since taking over.

The boyhood Wakefield fan gave Ste Mills three marquee spots to play with and left the rest in the hands of his recruitment and salary cap manager.

The result was the signatures of England pair Johnstone and McMeeken, two players who featured in last season's Grand Final for Catalans Dragons as Trinity tumbled out of Super League.

Should Wakefield find the right player to fill the remaining marquee place for 2025, the groundwork has already been done.

"From the outside looking in, people think Wakefield are a one-year thing but when people like that sign long-term deals, other players start to realise this is a serious club now," said Mills, who worked with head coach Daryl Powell at Castleford Tigers and Warrington Wolves.

"Having those two on board definitely makes the other recruits easier to get. They're massive deals for the club.

"We talk about the facilities and our ambitions, word of mouth is a big thing – players talk and as soon as that happens, it’s an easier sell.

"Tom and Mike believed in the vision and the ambition the club has and wanted to be a part of it. They can genuinely see success happening here.

"We were a big fan of Mike at Castleford and Tom wanted to come home. In my opinion, he never should have left. We won't let that happen again."

With Ellis' backing, Mills can say that with confidence.

Having joined Wakefield as a performance analyst with a wealth of experience, he is living out every young sports fan's dream.

"It's similar but different," he said on his job at Wakefield.

"With the analysis role, you are part of the recruitment process but you're the person who gathers everything for the CEO and the head coach; with this role, you see it from A to Z.

"I'm a big Football Manager fan. With the club being relegated, it gives you the Football Manager feeling where you create a new squad to put your stamp on it.

"Daryl, Matt and myself have been able to put our stamp on the squad and we feel we're in a really good place.

"I'm definitely living the dream. It makes it easier when you've got good people around you who trust in you."

Mills added the finishing touches to a squad that has taken the Championship by storm with 15 wins from 15 games ahead of their toughest test yet at Toulouse Olympique on Saturday.

In the background, he is building a playing group capable of making waves in Super League.

As well as Johnstone and McMeeken, Trinity have signed Huddersfield Giants half-back Oliver Russell and Hull FC centre Cameron Scott – with more to follow.

Wakefield's recruitment has caught the eye but Mills was keen to stress that they are not vanity signings.

"The investment is one thing but it's how Matt wants to invest," said Mills.

"He wants to do everything the right way with strategic plans; it's not just throwing money at it. Money does help with bringing in the right players but he has to be the right player for the group.

"There's a lot of thought and work that goes into it before we pull the trigger on a signing. Matt gives us a budget to work with and then we crack on and do what we feel is right.

"At the end of the day, Matt is also a big fan so he gets as excited as anybody about signings and is proud when we pull them off.

"Matt having trust in us is a big thing in this role."

Trinity are a club transformed on and off the field, from their star-studded Championship squad to the new state-of-the-art recovery room.

Wakefield's revival is an early template at the start of the IMG era, yet the club will not know for certain which division they will be in next season until late October when the grades are released.

Although there is a degree of uncertainty, Trinity will plough on with Super League as their destination.

"We're going for it," said Mills. "We're showing the rugby league world that we want to be part of Super League.

"The squad we're assembling has to be in Super League, in my opinion. We feel it will be able to compete in the top half and that it'll only be good for the competition.

"We're confident we'll be a Super League club next year."