Wigan secured the premier position on the Betfred Super League ladder with a club‑record twelfth consecutive win, comfortably defeating a resilient Wakefield side 26‑12 at the Brick Community Stadium. The hosts, under the guidance of Matt Peet, capitalised on a cascade of handling mistakes from the visitors to build a commanding 20‑point lead by halftime.
A decisive moment arrived just after the hour‑mark when Jai Field intercepted a long pass and sprinted the length of the field, sealing the triumph for Wigan. The timing and manner of Wigan’s ascent to the top of the table send a clear warning to their rivals, especially long‑time leaders Leeds, who now face added pressure ahead of their upcoming clash in York on Sunday.
Peet praised his squad’s resilience, noting, "I’m very pleased with how the game unfolded. The first half was intense and went set for set for a long time and we came out the other side of that. In the second half we got a little bit sloppy but we had to defend for the most part and it probably did us good.
Wakefield throw so much threat at you and they never stop asking questions." Wakefield endured their fourth straight defeat. They began brightly and were controversially denied an early try when Oliver Pratt appeared to ground the ball for Max Jowitt, only for officials to rule a knock‑on in the grounding process. Earlier, Wakefield had clung to parity after a rare mistake from Bevan French, who inadvertently sent Zach Eckersley over the corner line from a forward pass.
Wigan’s early dominance was built on two critical Wakefield errors that produced three tries within a ten‑minute spell. French punished a careless pass from Jowitt by barreling over the halfway line for the opening score. Six minutes later, a penalty pass set up Kian McDermott, whose precise delivery allowed Liam Marshall to dive into the corner for the second try.
Marshall added a third shortly after, again capitalising on a handling lapse. Three successful kicks from Adam Keighran, combined with a late‑half penalty, gave Wigan a comfortable four‑try lead at the break.
Despite the looming defeat, Wakefield displayed character in the second half. They applied sustained pressure and narrowed the margin on the 52nd minute when Jake Trueman’s clever kick evaded French, enabling Corey Hall to touch down.
A subsequent penalty and repeat set offered another opportunity, but Hall’s foot slipped into touch as he attempted to flick the ball back for Jowitt, who then crossed the line. The visitors’ hopes were finally extinguished when a loose ball from Mike McMeeken was snatched by Jai Field, who ran the length of the pitch to score Wigan’s fourth try.
A late effort from Wakefield’s Ky Rodwell added a consolation point, making the final scoreline more respectable. Wakefield head coach Daryl Powell voiced frustration with the officiating, stating, "I do think the refereeing department have to ask themselves a couple of questions. There's two teams that were top class but there's other parts of the game that weren't.
I'll be asking my team to get better from tonight and I think [the officials] should be doing the same." In a separate fixture, Leigh Leopards continued their push for a playoff berth by demolishing the Bradford Bulls 62‑10. Adam Cook was the star, contributing 30 points through flawless kicking—converting all 11 attempts and adding two tries—while Leigh amassed 48 points in a dominant second half.
Robbie Mulhern opened the scoring for Leigh in the 12th minute, with Cook adding the conversion and a penalty before a handling error allowed Bradford’s Waqa Blake to score in the corner. Leigh’s momentum surged after halftime.
A fumble on the kickoff gave Innes Senior a quick corner try, and the hosts kept the pressure relentless. Lachlan Lam initiated and finished a move in the 48th minute before setting up Cook, who chased down his own kick. Senior added a second try, while Umyla Hanley completed Lam’s sweeping pass, and Joe Ofahengaue finished a flowing sequence with more than ten minutes remaining. Cook later broke away for his second try, and Lam capped his brilliant individual performance with a second effort, while Bradford’s Eliot Peposhi managed a late consolation score.
Leigh’s victory marked a fourth consecutive win, following a recent triumph over Leeds Rhinos. Head coach Adrian Lam told Sky Sports, "Really happy with it, obviously a lot of confidence from last week's win. I thought throughout that second half especially we were unbelievable. Cook kicking at 100 per cent certainly helps.
He's been under pressure during the season at times but a nice week for him to find his form." The Bulls, hampered by injuries, slipped further down the table. Coach Kurt Haggerty reflected, "It was a very tough night.
We competed for 40 minutes like we have done for the majority of the season. We got to a point where we were so many bodies down but some of the defence wasn't acceptable that we tossed up in the second half. We won't feel sorry for ourselves, I won't let the group feel sorry for ourselves. We've got three tasty games to go and we'll keep scrapping." Overall, the weekend’s results reshaped the Super League landscape.
Wigan’s flawless run positions them as the team to beat, while Leigh’s offensive fireworks keep them firmly in the playoff conversation. Both clubs will look to maintain their momentum as the season progresses, with Leeds, Wakefield, and the struggling Bulls all seeking ways to reverse their fortunes. Sky Sports will continue to broadcast every Super League match live this season, offering two exclusive live games each round and additional fixtures on Sky Sports+.