- Published
There is a moment in the 1939 film 'The Wizard of Oz' where Dorothy swaps her monochrome world for glorious, eye-opening technicolour the minute she touches down in the Land of Oz.
asserted
she → publish → Oz
The same could be said for the moment that Wakefield Trinity got their hands on the Super League trophy when they beat Warrington Wolves 23-10 in Saturday's Grand Final.
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they → say → Final
Metaphorically of course, but the achievements of that great club had before only been seen in those black and white hues and so were ripe for a dash of colour.
Derek 'Rocky' Turner, Neil Fox MBE, Don Fox, Harold Poynton, Ken Rollin... all legends of the 1960s and an era when all the silverware found its way to WF1.
Belle Vue, or the DIY Kitchens Stadium as it is now known, has had its special nights since, such as the win to relegate rivals Castleford and secure safety at their expense in 2006.
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it → see → 2006
Yet, this season has followed a different storyline.
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season → follow → storyline
Wakefield could achieve something.
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Wakefield → achieve → something
And that they are, landing their first title since 1968.
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they → land → 1968
Daryl Powell tapped into the historical significance of the Grand Final in the build up to the showdown, as winger Tom Johnstone explained before the showpiece event.
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Johnstone → tap → event
"Daryl put a Powerpoint presentation on the screen, and said 'You could be legends of this club', and that was it," Johnstone told BBC Radio 5 live just days before scoring a try in the Grand Final and picking up the Rob Burrow Award as man of the match.
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Johnstone → put → match
"He didn't really go any further into it, he just put a seed in the back of your mind and just gave you that little nugget."
All change in WF1
Going back to the movie theme, Wakefield's resurrection over the past three seasons is almost too fanciful for Hollywood's scriptwriters, given the rapid ascent.
Owner Matt Ellis is without doubt the lead character, having come in as a fan but also an incredibly wealthy and successful kitchen magnate.
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Ellis → go → fan
It has been more than just investment thrown at it; for example Ellis has been hands-on with the stadium renovation in terms of standards and finish on the back of the work of former custodians Michael Carter and John Minards who set the ball rolling.
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ball → throw → Carter
He also has brought drive and vision, and it was he who was determined to bring Powell to the club as head coach almost immediately after taking control.
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who → bring → control
"Everything has changed from the top to the bottom," Johnstone added.
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Johnstone → change → bottom
"Rather than going into individual key details, the facilities have changed, the manner of the club, just the belief and the ambition of the club is probably the best one.
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belief → go → club
"We used to say a lot of things and say we wanted to compete but we had no chance of doing it at the time.
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we → use → time
It's run so well.
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It → run → ?
"Anything you need, you've got it.
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you → need → it
Matt will provide absolutely anything.
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Matt → provide → anything
He just wants to see success.
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He → want → success
And the players we've signed and the team we've built, it just shows.
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it → sign → ?
"
Ellis and Powell has been a near-perfect partnership; with promotion back to Super League, Wembley success in the 1895 Cup, and back-to-back play-off appearances in Super League all culminating in the glorious win at Old Trafford.
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all → culminate → Trafford
Powell had enjoyed success at Featherstone and Castleford before a stint at Warrington ended prematurely, and joining Wakefield has had a revitalising impact on both club and coach.
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joining → enjoy → club
"This is an unbelievable story," Powell said.
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Powell → say → ?
"From me thinking a bloke's trying to sell me a kitchen to winning the Super League is phenomenal.
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bloke → think → League
Obviously, it's pretty sweet for me tonight as an individual but for the club, the players, the coaching staff, everything that we've built up over the last three years is phenomenal.
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we → build → years
"What happened tonight is the best thing that could have happened to Super League, 100%.
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that → happen → League
A sell-out crowd and a team like us, you know the story before the game, it's awesome.
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it → sell → game
It shows the [salary] cap is working as a team like us can come from the Championship and win in two years, that's big.
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that → show → years
Family feel and a tight bond
Powell has turned to familiar faces to fill those key roles; Michael Shenton - once his captain at Castleford, is now his trusted assistant while Ste Mills - another acolyte of yore is the brains behind the recruitment.
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Mills → turn → recruitment
Aside from that, former Trinity player and modern day favourite Danny Kirmond is also on the staff while the experienced Stu Dickens also adds to the brains trust.
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Dickens → add → trust
On the pitch, Powell has reunited with Jake Trueman, whose form in his time at Castleford put him in the international picture, and Mike McMeeken, who was part of the 2017 team at the Tigers who lost to Leeds in the Grand Final.
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who → reunite → Final
Front-rower McMeeken's authority and presence were a huge pick up for Trinity when he signed from Catalans as a statement signing on their top flight return, part of a powerful pack which highlights the best of Mills' talentspotting.
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which → sign → talentspotting
Bringing that power are Ky Rodwell from NRL side Parramatta, and ex-Cronulla reserve grader Caleb Hamlin-Uele - both signed while Trinity were still in the Championship.
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Trinity → bring → Championship
Since getting up, Caius Faatili was brought in from Queensland Cup side Sunshine Coast Falcons in 2025 and was an immediate success with his raw-boned and aggressive style; lean, muscular Isaiah Vagana is rangy and athletic in the back-row, while Samoa international Jazz Tevaga has brought NRL experience and abrasive swagger to the squad.
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Tevaga → get → squad
"Daryl's really shown how good of a coach he is just how he's brought players in that probably may not have been picked up because of not being as well known," McMeeken told BBC Sport.
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McMeeken → show → Sport
"For example Caius, not many clubs would have known about him but he's seen the potential in him and the good thing is, I think he's only about 23 or 24 so it's quite scary to see how far people like him can actually go."
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people → know → him
'It still doesn't feel real'
Without a major football club in the city, Wakefield Trinity are the prime attraction for support, and all the attention and focus has been shone on them this week.
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attention → feel → them
More than 30,000 tickets were sold for Old Trafford at Trinity's end, nudging the attendance past 71,000 for the sold-out showpiece that guaranteed a new name on the trophy for the second year running.
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that → sell → year
Finishing fourth earned them a home eliminator where Leigh were beaten impressively, but it was the dismantling of treble-chasing Wigan in the semi-final which really caught the eye and gave growing hope that Trinity could create a seismic Super League shock.
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Trinity → finish → shock
The Wakefield club that Johnstone started out at is almost a different beast more than a decade on, for the better, but the fanbase has remained the same - committed, loyal and vocal.
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fanbase → start → better
"It can only be good for rugby league and Super League for us to be growing and performing and it's finally pay back for all the loyal fans that have been here throughout the years," he said.
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he → grow → years
…and 11 more, not listed.
The Aporia
