Wigan Warriors have become something of a fixture in the Betfred Super League Grand Final picture – they have been there, done that and even earned the proverbial T‑shirt for their repeated appearances. This season, the club is on a quest for a rare treble in 2026, having already secured two major pieces of silverware.
The Challenge Cup triumph and the League Leaders' Shield have already been added to the cabinet, leaving only the Grand Final as the final hurdle. The next step on that road is a semi‑final clash against Wakefield Trinity, scheduled for Saturday 26 September and broadcast live on Sky Sports. Wakefield earned their place by beating Leigh in the eliminator, and they will arrive in Wigan with momentum and confidence after a convincing victory. For the Warriors, the match is a chance to reaffirm their pedigree and keep the dream of a treble alive.
Head coach Matt Peet, who suffered his first defeat in a Grand Final at Old Trafford in 2025 when Hull KR swept the club aside, has turned that disappointment into motivation. "We have been through this experience a few times now, learned some lessons, and it is exciting," Peet told Sky Sports.
He emphasized that the focus must be forward‑looking rather than dwelling on past shortcomings. "It is not a case of everything we did last year being wrong; we had things right, but we just weren’t good enough on the night.
We will do what is right for this year's team at this moment in their journey and ours. It is more about looking forward than back," he explained.
If Wigan can overcome Wakefield and go on to lift the Grand Final trophy, it would represent Peet’s tenth piece of silverware since taking the reins at his hometown club in 2022 – a remarkable rate of success. Yet Peet downplays the statistical significance, insisting that the only trophy that matters is the one directly in front of them. "It is not about that, the next one is always the one," he said. "We just want to play well in the semi‑finals.
Not thinking too much about Old Trafford or the trophy or talking about that. We know we are going to be up against a very determined and capable team in the semi‑finals who have just had a fantastic win.
They will be battle‑hardened and confident, so we just have to concern ourselves with that." The 2025 campaign was a particularly painful one for Wigan under Peet. Although they reached the finals, they fell short of any silverware as Hull KR swept all the honours. The Grand Final ended in a 24‑6 loss, a match remembered for Brad O'Neill’s sin‑binning after a dangerous tackle.
O'Neill has bounced back spectacularly in 2026, earning a place in the Super League Dream Team and vowing to set the record straight. O'Neill spoke about the team's preparation ahead of the semi‑final, highlighting the value of a short break to bond and recharge. "I feel like going away together before the semi‑final when we get the week off is a great opportunity to get some work in but also a good time to bond as well and get away and fresh.
Just to enjoy each other's company," he told Sky Sports. He recalled the sting of the previous year's defeat at Old Trafford and how correcting that mistake would mean a great deal to the squad.
"Last year was a tough one to take at Old Trafford for myself personally and for the club. To put those wrongs right would mean a lot to us all. We have given ourselves the best opportunity to do it, we just have to commit now and get through this semi‑final first." The road to the semi‑finals has been eventful. On Friday 18 September, Wakefield Trinity edged Leigh Leopards 26‑16.
The following day, Warrington Wolves dispatched Hull KR 35‑12. The semi‑final schedule continues with Leeds Rhinos versus Warrington Wolves on Friday 25 September at 8 pm, followed by the Wigan‑Wakefield encounter on Saturday 26 September at 5.30 pm, both on Sky Sports.
As the Super League play‑offs progress, fans can follow the drama live on Sky Sports, culminating in the Grand Final at Old Trafford on 3 October. For Wigan, the immediate priority is to neutralise Wakefield’s battle‑hardened edge, execute their game plan, and keep the treble dream alive. The club’s blend of experience, recent silverware, and a hunger to rewrite the disappointment of 2025 provides a compelling narrative heading into what promises to be a tightly contested semi‑final.