Wakefield Trinity Stun Wigan Warriors To Reach First Grand Final

Wakefield Trinity's 33-6 victory over Wigan Warriors at The Brick Community Stadium secured the club's maiden appearance in a Super League Grand Final, setting up a meeting with Warrington Wolves at Old Trafford.²³⁵⁴

A one-sided second half

Wigan took the lead through Brad O'Neill after Jazz Tevaga was sin-binned for a trip on Liam Marshall following 15 minutes. Tom Johnstone scored a try to level for Wakefield, and a subsequent penalty goal from Max Jowitt gave them an 8-6 lead at the break.²¹

The contest turned after Adam Keighran was sin-binned for a tip-tackle in the second half. Wakefield scored three tries in seven minutes during his absence, through Tom Johnstone, Jack Sinfield and Corey Hall, before Ky Rodwell added a fourth try inside 13 minutes to put Wakefield four tries clear.³²¹

According to the BBC, Wakefield registered 33 unanswered points after Wigan's opening try, though this figure is disputed. Mason Lino added a drop goal in the 74th minute before a further Max Jowitt penalty sealed the 33-6 win.²⁵¹

Reaction

Wigan head coach Matt Peet said his side had been outplayed. "Well beaten, all ends up," he said, adding, "It was an outstanding performance from Wakefield." He said Wigan had been made to "look ordinary" and accepted "there's no shame in admitting that we were second best."⁵

Peet said Wigan's response to going down to 12 men had been inadequate compared with Wakefield's. "Both when they were down and when they were up, they made the numbers tell didn't they?" he said, adding that the game had been effectively settled once Wakefield built a lead during the sin-bin period.⁵

Wakefield head coach Daryl Powell said his squad would approach the Grand Final with composure. "We don't need to change too much, the boys are in a good place," he said, adding that the team would remain "nice and calm and relaxed" given their confidence.⁵

Sky Sports pundit Jon Wilkin remarked, per the outlet, that a number of Super League's greatest-ever sides might have struggled to defeat Wakefield that night, an opinion the broadcaster credited to him without confirmation from other outlets.³

Context and history

Wakefield were a Championship side as recently as 2024, according to the BBC, and had reached a Championship Grand Final two years ago, according to Serious About Rugby League. Several outlets characterized Wakefield's path to their debut Super League Grand Final as among the most significant shocks in the competition's post-season history.²¹³

Wigan had already claimed the Challenge Cup and League Leaders' Shield this season and, per the BBC, arrived at the semi-final having won 16 consecutive matches, with the loss ending their bid for a treble and a fourth successive Grand Final berth.²⁵

Wakefield will face Warrington Wolves, who beat Leeds Rhinos at AMT Headingley Stadium to reach the final, according to the Betfred Super League. Warrington last reached a Grand Final in 2018, falling 12-4 to Wigan, and according to the BBC, the club has come up short in each of its four previous Grand Final appearances.⁴²¹

The BBC notes that Wakefield's win guarantees a sixth different name will appear on the Super League trophy, since only five clubs have won the title since the first Grand Final was staged in 1998, and that a new champion is assured for the second successive year following Hull KR's first title in 2025.²⁴

Jack Sinfield is set to play in the Grand Final eleven years after his father Sir Kevin Sinfield's last of eight Grand Final appearances, according to the BBC. Sir Kevin Sinfield, a seven-time champion with Leeds Rhinos, is due to carry out the pre-match ball delivery. Jack Sinfield said his father was not at Saturday's match because he was starting elsewhere the following morning.²