Storton, an impact player in the Rovers squad who played in both the 2023 Challenge Cup final loss to Leigh and last year’s Grand Final defeat to Wigan, also acknowledged the comparisons with Rovers, whom he joined in 2021 and helped scrape a place in the play-offs for the first time in eight years.
Daryl Powell believes his resurgent Wakefield side can learn from the way Hull KR have gatecrashed the game’s upper echelons as the two clubs prepare to face off in an intriguing Betfred Super League clash at the DIY Kitchens Stadium on Thursday.
Storton, who was one of the top performers in his side’s sterling win at Headingley, can prepare to play a much bigger part in his side’s fortunes this season, after opting to depart Rovers primarily to ensure a more regular starting berth.
The introduction of IMG’s new grading system in 2022 initially appeared designed to exclude clubs like Wakefield, whose quarter-century stay in the top flight came to an end the following year after 14 consecutive defeats from the start of the season.
Instead the timely intervention of Ellis sparked a revolution, resulting in them romping through their season in second tier while a new 2,600 East Stand sprung up in the background, and their instant return sees them harbour realistic hopes of emulating Rovers’ journey and pushing towards the play-off zone.
