Washbrook rues missed opportunity

Wakefield Wildcats loose forward Danny Washbrook was left thinking what could have been a dramatic Monday night at Leeds as Trinity went down 44-40 to the champions.

A closely fought game was won at the death by the Rhinos who held off a courageous performance by Richard Agar’s men.

The game saw 14 tries between both sides but Washbrook, who once again impressed for Wakefield, admitted the defeat is a hard pill to swallow.

He said, “I think to go Headingley, score 40 points and not come away with the win is very disappointing. Three of the tries they scored in the first were the kind of ones where every other game you shut them down but today it cost us.

The teams togetherness, which has been well highlighted this year, shone through during the game as Trinity came from 12-0 down to lead 30-24 in the final stages of the game. 

The 26-year-old said, “We have shown a lot of character over the last weeks after going behind. I was just disappointed with last night as we let ourselves down in certain areas, the areas we have been good in too.

“We know we can attack, it’s just the little things we usually do well like our goal line defence that has been pretty good and we’ve highlighted our kick-chase and tonight we got caught twice on it.

I’m sure Rich (Agar) will bring that up on the video where we went wrong. I think sometimes it’s working too hard, not the fact we aren’t working hard enough, but we will look to put it right for Sunday.”

Monday’s defeat sees them slip six points behind the play-off’s with Leeds occupying that last play-off spot.