Wakefield Trinity v Huddersfield Giants: Daryl Powell seeking happy medium after contrasting fortunes
In the pursuit of perfection, most coaches would settle for narrowing the gap between their best and worst.
Daryl Powell is no different as he sets about taking Wakefield Trinity to the next level.
Fifteen rounds into the 2026 season, Trinity are on course to achieve something the club have never managed before: successive Super League play-off campaigns.
Wakefield sit fifth, sandwiched between competition heavyweights Wigan Warriors and St Helens.
These are heady days for a club relegated to the Championship only three years ago but they are still learning on the go, as underlined by the chastening home defeat to Wigan a fortnight ago.
After responding with a commanding win at Hull FC, the challenge for Powell is to bring the floor closer to the ceiling.
"We're pretty happy," he said.
"We had a little bit of a rattler in terms of the Wigan game. They're playing at another level at the minute and we were well below our level – but overall we're in a good place.
"We can't afford to get too comfortable. That's the thing. We've got a good opportunity to improve and get after these 12 games.
"We're over halfway through the season and have given ourselves a really good platform.
"It's about kicking on now and being consistent in the way we play and making sure our standards don't drop too much. There's been a couple of games where they've dropped. We have to make sure our worst performances are a little bit closer to our best.
"That comes down to individuals being tuned in and ready to play the game every week and delivering what we know we can.
"It's all those standards things we hold ourselves accountable to. We've got a good opportunity to do something special."
The visit of basement side Huddersfield Giants offers another chance to demonstrate their progress.
Against a team with just two wins to their name all season, Wakefield are expected to deliver.
Powell, though, is preparing his team for the best version of Jim Lenihan's Giants on Sunday.
"They've got a new coach and he's talking about increasing their fitness levels and things like that," said Powell.
"New coaches have an impact and I think they might have a few players back this week. If you take all that into account, it comes down to us just focusing on us and making sure we are tuned in.
"Looking at Huddersfield, the way they've played the last two weeks, they're having a dig. I think that's certainly the case.
"We have to be mindful that if you sit off a team and let them play, every rugby league team is dangerous. They have a lot of quality players and we need to play well."
For all their effort since Lenihan's arrival last month, the Giants are still searching for their first win under the Australian.
The results have yet to follow but Lenihan's message has remained consistent.
"Exactly the same," he said. "Nothing changes.
"We need to make sure we impose ourselves on the game. It's all about our energy in defence and lasting longer.
"At the moment, we're probably putting in the right amount of detail into our effort but an individual error means some of that effort goes wasted. We're slowly learning those lessons.
"It's coming on the training field, it really is, and now we've got to make sure we transfer it into the game on the weekend."
After travelling to St Helens last week, Huddersfield's task does not get any easier at a venue where only Wigan have won since Wakefield opened the season with a shock defeat to Toulouse Olympique.
Lenihan knows there are no shortcuts as his side attempt to find their rhythm.
"They're certainly a dangerous side that can mix it with anyone," he said. "Not that long ago they beat Hull KR so they're a side that can compete in that top-four bracket.
"They've got big middles and a great set of outside backs who move well. Again, we've got our hands more than full. We've just got to make sure we know what we're doing first.
"It's a real balancing act at the moment to make sure we get enough physicality to compete with the other sides and have the mentality to work hard when we're really tired.
"We've got to get that part right and the actual football part comes slower. You've got to dance really well first and then you learn the moves afterwards."