After a season in the Championship the much-heralded return of Daryl Powell’s Wakefield Trinity saw them travel to AMT Headingley for a round one opener against Brad Arthurs much fancied and revitalised Leeds Rhinos.

The visitors were given a respectful twelve-point start, but after an opening weekend of shocks and close games, who would bet against another close encounter and an extension of the eighty minutes with more golden point drama.

Both sides came into the game of the back of massive Challenge Cup third round victories, the Rhinos putting ninety-two unanswered points past Wests Warriors, while Trinity scored eighty-two against York Acorn with a big zero in the against column.

Wakefield had the best of the opening exchanges, Leeds sitting back and absorbing the pressure but encountering difficulty in getting out of their own half.

As the half wore on it was the Rhinos who became dominant, but Wakefield’s defence wasn’t to be breached.

It was a magical opening try for Wakefield on twenty-one. Tom Johnstone went for the left corner off a Corey Hall tap back. He somehow managed to offload before being dragged into touch, Jake Trueman flicking the ball back from close to the touchline into the hands of Max Jowitt who interchanged with Corey Hall through the Leeds defence for the full back to go over. Jowitt added the conversion for a 6-0 lead.

Within two minutes Trinity were in again, this time a far more straightforward try as Trueman broke for fifty metres down the centre and found Jowitt for a simple run home to score from ten metres out. Jowitt was unable to add the extras as the game approached the half hour mark.

Wakefield had a third try, this one for Oliver Pratt, ruled out on thirty minutes for an obstruction. Some relief for the Rhinos who were being torn apart by a rampant Wakefield.

On thirty-two Jake Connor spilled a Liam Hood grubber kick under pressure from the kicker, Mason Lino reacting first to force the ball to ground for the third Wakefield try.  Jowitt pushed his conversion attempt across the face of the posts, Leeds looking stunned, the crowd silenced.

Seconds before the interval the Rhinos grabbed a lifeline as Harry Newman grounded a Brodie Croft grubber which was totally missed by a scampering Tom Johnstone. Jake Connor added the conversion, the Wakefield lead down to eight points at the interval.

Brilliant Leeds defence kept Corey Hall from getting the first points of the second half, Ryan Hall getting himself under the ball to prevent a grounding on forty-eight.

If Leeds were hoping that Trinity would run out of steam, it didn’t appear to be happening.

Leeds went close on fifty-eight through Hall on the last tackle then after a play-the-ball error from Caleb Hamlin-Uele on sixty-one good Rhinos pressure saw them with a six-again and then a penalty which saw Lino yellow carded for a secondary tackle around the head.

With fourteen remaining Gannon ripped through a broken Wakefield defence but attempted to ground short of the line, losing possession in the tackle.

Leeds were becoming increasingly frustrated as the clock ran down.

With forty-three seconds remaining Sam Lisone grabbed one back for the Rhinos after spinning out of the tackle to ground, Connor adding the conversion to reduce the arrears to just two points but it was too little, and too late, as the final hooter sounded the Wakefield win.

It was Trinity’s first win at Headingley for six years, a great performance from last season’s promoted side against a much fancied Rhinos side who disappointed in attack and showed some early season rustiness. It’s a long season ahead for both of these side who will have their aspirations on making the play-offs, but it’s first blood to Wakefield

Leeds Rhinos: Connor (G 2/2), Lumb Handley, Newman (T), Hall, Croft, Frawley, Oledzki, Ackers, Palasia, Bentley, McDonnell, Smith.  Subs: Lisone (T), Holroyd, Gannon, Edgell. 18th Man: Jenkins.

Wakefield Trinity: Jowitt (2T, G 1/2), Russell, Pratt, Hall, Johnstone, Trueman, Lino (T, SB on 63), McMeeken, Hood, Hamlin-Uele, Croft, Storton, Pitts. Subs: Russell, Doyle, Vagana, Faatili. 18th Man: Rourke.

Half-Time: 6-14.

Full-Time: 12-14.  

Score Progression: 0-4, 0-6, 0-10, 0-14, 4-14, 6-14 : HT: 10-14, 12-14 :FT.

Lead Exchanges: Wakefield.

Referee: Aaron Moore.