“WE know that we’ll be going as underdogs, but at the same time it’s play-off rugby and anything can happen.”

So said York Knights boss Mark Applegarth ahead of his side’s Betfred Championship Play-off Semi-Final at Wakefield Trinity this afternoon (3pm).

Applegarth, who made a commendable effort to avoid Wakefield’s relegation last season, will return to the DIY Kitchens Stadium for the second time in as many months.

Having lost 40-4 and 50-6 in their previous two matches in 2024, York’s 20-4 defeat four weeks ago was a vast improvement.

The Knights could not be faulted for their efforts, but could only send winger Brad Ward across the whitewash in response to tries from Max Jowitt, Luke Gale, Jermaine McGillvary and Derrell Olpherts.

Brad Ward scored the Knights' only try at Wakefield last month.Brad Ward scored the Knights' only try at Wakefield last month. (Image: Craig Hawkhead Photography) Wakefield though have been in a class of their own this season, beaten just once on their way to claiming both the League Leaders’ Shield and AB Sundecks 1895 Cup as they seek an immediate return to the Betfred Super League.

“We know we’re massive underdogs,” stated Applegarth. “I’m not just saying that for a soundbite.

“Wakefield are probably spending one of the record amounts for the Championship - they’ve got a lot of depth to their squad and some quality players, a lot of them I know well.

“It shows with the Championship Player of the Year awards. You’ve got young Pratty [Oli Pratt] who’s won the Young Player, you’ve got Max Jowitt who has been in outstanding form and Daryl [Powell] obviously the Coach of the Year.

“It shows you how dominant they have been, and it’s all rightly deserved in that sense.

“We’re not stupid, we know we’ll be going in as underdogs, but at the same time it’s play-off rugby and anything can happen.

“We know where we need to address in our game plan from the last time that we played them, and I don’t think they’ll be too happy about how they went the last time that they played us.

“I think it’s whoever can nail it on the day really.

“If you were a betting man, I know 99 per cent of people would put their money on Wakefield, but that’s the beauty of sport isn’t it.

“We’ll be going out there and making sure that we give it our best shot to get that result.”

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One thing that Applegarth is sure of is that his side has the self-belief that they can produce a shock result in West Yorkshire.

Asked whether the underdog tag has influenced the Knights’ mentality, he replied: “I don’t think it does, I just think the main thing for both teams is having that self-belief between you and those four walls.

“You control what you can, which is preparing your team, from a coaching point of view, or from a player point of view, preparing yourself to the best of your ability to nail your role in that team. That’s all you can do, isn’t it?

“But one thing that I’ll guarantee is our team will be going out with self-belief that we can do it, and I’m sure Wakefield will be out there doing the same as they have been all year.

“They’ve been on an outstanding run, and it’s our job to go and spoil it.”