Wakefield Trinity’s head coach, Daryl Powell, admitted that many members of his squad were still in disbelief after the club secured a historic Super League Grand Final triumph – a feat achieved just two years after the team had been competing in England’s second division. The Wildcats lifted the championship trophy for the first time ever, beating Warrington Wolves 23-10 at Old Trafford. This victory came just a week after they had travelled to face heavy favourites Wigan Warriors in the semi‑finals, where they produced a commanding 33-6 win. The triumph marks Wakefield’s first league title since 1968 – a gap of 58 years – and it is all the more astonishing given that the club were relegated from the Super League at the end of the 2023 season and spent the 2024 campaign in the Championship under Powell’s guidance.

"I’m simply amazed by the players and the quality they have shown," Powell said after the match. "It’s a fantastic feeling for me personally, but it’s even bigger for the club, the players, the coaching staff and everyone we have built over the past three years. What we have created is phenomenal.

We have been laying foundations for a while, but the last two weeks have produced unbelievable performances from an extraordinary group of men. The lads have such belief in each other that when everyone does their job, anything is possible. That’s exactly what we did this season – it’s massive." Powell praised the unity and confidence within the squad, noting that many of the players still struggled to accept the magnitude of what they had accomplished. "There are a lot of boys who just can’t believe it.

The fact that we have managed to do all this is a testament to how good they are. I am incredibly proud of everything – the club, the supporters, the staff and, of course, the players. They are an absolute pleasure to coach and to be around, which makes my job feel effortless." At 61, this was Powell’s first appearance in a Super League Grand Final as a head coach since 2017, when he led Castleford Tigers to a heavy defeat at the hands of Leeds Rhinos. The win was especially sweet because it came against Warrington, a club where Powell had spent two seasons as head coach before being dismissed in 2023.

"This is the best achievement of my career," he said. "After 2017 I thought I might never win a big final again. I had a difficult spell at Warrington, and to return to Wakefield and achieve this is phenomenal.

Being at Wakefield feels like coming home, and to gather a group of men who can do something special is unbelievable. I have had many great moments in my coaching life, but this tops them all." Supported by an outspoken and ambitious owner, Matt Ellis, Powell confessed that even his own expectations were exceeded by the club’s success. He now believes the team can build on this momentum and aim even higher.

"This club can achieve anything," he asserted. "I thought this year might be a little early for a title, but the boys proved me wrong.

Maybe next year, maybe later – I’m just thrilled for the players. You can’t write a script for moments like this; it’s simply astonishing. Opportunities like this don’t come often, and there is a lot of love in this group. It gets a bit emotional at times, but I am so proud to be associated with these men.

It shows that extraordinary things are possible. Other clubs have done great things, perhaps on different timelines, but our story is unique – from being sold a kitchen by the owner to lifting the Super League trophy. It has been an incredible three‑year journey." Max Jowitt, reflecting for Sky Sports, summed up the emotional roller‑coaster of the season: "The highs are worth the lows a million per cent.

It didn’t feel real that we were in a Grand Final until we actually got there. It’s been a roller‑coaster for me personally – dropping to the reserves, losing form, then getting my chance at the end of the year. To finish my Wakefield career with this win is something I will never forget." Tom Johnstone, the Rob Burrow Award winner, also spoke to Sky Sports, his voice shaking with emotion. "I can’t believe it.

I keep crying, I can’t help it! This club means everything to me; I’ve dreamed for ten years of winning a Grand Final with Wakefield. Daryl Powell sold us a vision – a club with ambition and the desire to win.

I believed every word, and now we are here. We wouldn’t be here without that belief; we built our foundation on it." The victory not only rewrites Wakefield Trinity’s history books but also sends a powerful message across the rugby league world: with the right leadership, a united squad, and unwavering belief, even a club that has faced relegation can rise to the pinnacle of the sport.

As Powell and his players celebrate, the future looks bright for a team that has turned a once‑distant dream into a celebrated reality.