When you flirt with danger too frequently, there is always a very good chance that you are going to get hurt. That is something that Wakefield Trinity recently found out as they were confirmed to have been relegated from the Super League.
The team managed to be part of the division for 24 years, although it could have been a lot shorter on numerous times. Nonetheless, the axe was finally dropped on the organisation on Friday night (September 15) when they were beaten 20-19 by Leigh.
The defeat meant that Wakefield would be unable to catch Castleford in their pursuit to escape the drop once again, and will now be playing their Rugby League action in the Championship next season. To make matters potentially worse for the team, it is the last year in which promotion and relegation are possible, with licensing set to come in.
This will mean there is extra pressure on the club if they are to make a swift return to the Super League. They will need to meet certain criteria, which involves ensuring facilities are up to standard, as well as its fanbase and the visibility they offer to the sport. A new stand is on the way, but this is not likely to be enough alongside top performances.
Nonetheless, those who watch the Trinity often will feel that they should have enough to bounce back and may decide to place wagers to enhance their support and passion for the team. They may find a variety of sites available on the online betting new-zealand portal to use that can provide them with wagering opportunities, as well as the possibility to enhance viewing through the acquisition of bonuses.
Where did it all go wrong for Wakefield?
It can be rather difficult to pinpoint where it had all gone wrong for Wakefield, especially as the franchise has been riding its luck for multiple years. Of course, this season is independent of any other to have been experienced, but there have been many issues to have been experienced that will have contributed to their eventual downfall.
The 2023 season was one that was largely inconsistent for the team, with the team struggling to find form and continue to match intensity. They were unfortunate with some results as on another day, they could have easily swang in their favour, but ultimately, they didn’t and they cost them dearly. Some even highlighted that basic errors had been a major factor in their demise this season.
How Wakefield remained in the Super League for so long
As mentioned, Wakefield Trinity managed to starve off relegation from the Super League on so many occasions, which may have led fans to believe that it was only a matter of time before it would eventually happen, especially given the problems experienced this season.
While fans will remember the back-to-back top-five finishes just five seasons ago, many will remember the fact that the team often scrapped at the bottom. They got extremely lucky in 2006 as they managed to defeat Castleford in an enthralling tie, while their 2015 ‘Million Pound Game’ win against the Bradford Bulls was one that was filled with relief after the final result.
2019 was perhaps the closest the team had come to being compounded to Championship rugby, as it involved a four-team battle against the drop. London were ultimately the losers, as Trinity, Hull KR and Huddersfield all survived. In the seasons that followed, Leigh and Toulouse have mainly kept Wakefield up through poor performances, but 2023 was the final curtain call.
