'We feel we can get Grade A': Wakefield Trinity owner Matt Ellis talks up importance of Grand Final

Trinity face Toulouse Olympique in the Championship decider this Saturday but must wait until next week to discover whether they will be one of the 12 top-flight clubs in 2025.

Ellis feels Wakefield have done enough after pushing their score up towards the 15 points required for a guaranteed Super League place.

"I'm confident," said the Trinity owner, who is chasing the extra 0.25 points on offer this weekend.

"We've done everything possible. We've submitted a score that we think is enough. You're never, ever in total control with this but we've done absolutely everything we could have. We couldn't have done any more. It's been a big investment year and every possible point we could have got, we've got.

"We're not a million miles off a Grade A. We've submitted very close to a Grade A and with a Grand Final win, we feel we can get a Grade A.

"It's in the hands of the administrators and IMG but we're really confident we've done enough to be Grade A or be very close to it this year.

"You're starting to hear a few rumours of what other clubs have got and you can't always believe it. I take it with a pinch of salt.

"IMG said it would be five to 10 years before there would be 12 Grade As so if we're on the border of that now, you've got to be confident."

Ellis has transformed Trinity on and off the field since acquiring the club last year following their relegation from Super League.

Daryl Powell's side have already claimed the 1895 Cup and the League Leaders' Shield while losing only two games along the way.

Off the pitch, Wakefield are benefiting from state-of-the-art facilities in the new East Stand, including a recovery room complete with plunge pools, a jacuzzi and a sauna.

The turnaround under Ellis has brought the feel-good factor back to Belle Vue but the club face a nervous wait for the green light from the authorities.

Trinity have already built a Super League squad with England pair Tom Johnstone and Mike McMeeken the standout signings in a statement of intent from the club.

Asked if it would be a slap in the face to miss out on a Super League spot after providing a blueprint at the start of a new era under IMG, Ellis replied: "Yeah, absolutely.

"I would imagine that what we've done is everything IMG wanted a club to do.

"I don’t want to say too much more... I wouldn't say it'd be a joke but what more could anybody do? We're over budget on investment in terms of what we anticipated spending but we've pushed the boat out.

"There's been no expense spared this year to get to this point where we're in the Grand Final and done everything we needed to do: LED boards, a new gantry etc.

"It would be a kick in the teeth if we didn't get there."