Wakefield Trinity produced one of the great playoff performances to stun Wigan Warriors 33-6 and reach their first Super League Grand Final. They will face Warrington at Old Trafford next Saturday, with a first league title since 1968 within reach.
A rapid rise from the Championship
Two years ago this weekend, Wakefield beat Doncaster 72-6 in front of just under 5,000 supporters in the Championship. Now they are preparing for the biggest match in the club's modern history, having spent most of the Super League era in the lower reaches, light years away from clubs like Wigan.
Daryl Powell was appointed in 2023 by new owner Matt Ellis, a local kitchen magnate who has followed Wakefield all his life, with an initial remit to secure promotion back to Super League. Ellis, however, had loftier goals. Powell recalled this week: "When I came, Matt said to me: 'I want you to turn black and white into colour'."
Keighran sin-bin proves decisive
Wigan went ahead through Brad O'Neill's try, but that proved a false dawn. By the break, Tom Johnstone's score and two goals from Max Jowitt nudged Wakefield ahead. The turning point came early in the second half when Wigan's Adam Keighran was sent to the sin-bin for a tip tackle on Isaiah Vagana, during which time Wakefield scored 16 unanswered points.
That turned a slender 8-6 half-time lead into a commanding 24-6 advantage. Corey Hall, Jack Sinfield and Johnstone all scored tries during that spell. Even when Keighran returned, Wakefield were the superior team, with Ky Rodwell adding another try and Mason Lino's drop goal and a late Jowitt penalty sealing a comprehensive win.
Magnanimous Peet concedes defeat
"Our mentality was always we thought we could come here and win despite what people said," Powell said. "We were superb. This is a special group of boys and we have a great opportunity ahead of us next week."
Wigan's coach Matt Peet was magnanimous in defeat: "Wakefield were outstandingly good. We were outplayed and out-coached: they beat us all ends up. The night belongs to them."
The 5,000-strong travelling support, the same number that used to watch them at home, celebrated as their team moved within one win of a first league title since 1968. Next week's Grand Final will be the first not to feature any of Leeds, Wigan or St Helens, with Warrington – the club who sacked Powell in 2023 – standing in Wakefield's way.
