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Wakefield Trinity head coach Daryl Powell has tried to explain what happened after his side ceded a 22-6 lead to lose 24-22 against rivals Leeds Rhinos, pointing to incoming signing Cameron Smith as the difference maker. Victory for Wakefield would have taken them joint-top of Super League, level on points with the Rhinos, and for long periods of the game that looked likely but Trinity fell behind for the first time in the 78th minute as Chris Hankinson got to a loose ball first. It was a devastating defeat for Trinity, who oversaw a tough first 15 minutes to dominate the first half but the tide started to turn shortly after Jack Sinfield’s try that made it 22-6. Quickfire tries from James McDonnell and Cameron Smith before the hour mark emphasised that but Wakefield simply could not hold on, and Powell immediately pointed to Smith as where it went wrong for Trinity. Speaking post-match on Sky Sports, Powell was asked where the game was lost, prompting a blunt response: “They brought Cam Smith on. “I just thought he played really well,” Powell added, explaining: “I thought we were outstanding in the first half, and I didn’t think they deserved that try at the end, but, look, they got it. “Obviously, we scored in that second half, but I just thought we were a bit loose defensively and look, it could have gone either way. I thought it was a great game but for us, lessons in big games, I think there’ll be a fair bit of that. “There’s plenty of time to go, and I said it before the game that I didn’t think that this was a win or bust situation. I just felt like it’s a big game, and we’re going to handle it, and I thought we handled some parts of it really well, and then other parts we’d be disappointed with. “We’ll review it and look at it and say, ‘we should have won the game’. Leeds had to chase it down, and they did that. They’re a good side, and if you sit off them, then they’re going to hurt you.” Wakefield Trinity downed by 2027 signing Cam Smith Powell would speak more about Cam Smith, whose impact off the bench was imply incredible as he scored one try, stopped another, and put in a stellar performance generally. He said: “I thought Cam Smith in particular caused us no end of trouble, and, yeah, we’ll need to be better. “There’s nothing in it, I don’t think, so I don’t think there’s anything for us to get too down about. I just think there’s a big part of the season left now, and we’ve just got to go after it. “We’ve got a team that’s capable of beating these boys, and we’ve got to prove that over these next five weeks.” On Smith, who will sign for 2027, Powell added: ” I’m glad he’s playing for us next year. “I think we’ve signed awesome for next year. This year, we’ve still got a chance, and we’ve got to believe that, but we’ll have to tidy a couple of things up. At the start, we got a bit loose and untidy in the second half, and the Leeds were good enough to realise that.” WHAT A COMEBACK! 🤯 pic.twitter.com/9V7RSKZXR3 — Sky Sports Rugby League (@SkySportsRL) August 7, 2026