Wakefield Trinity delivered one of the most remarkable upsets ever witnessed in the Super League playoffs, blasting Wigan Warriors 33-6 to clinch a place in their inaugural Grand Final. The triumph was all the more astonishing given that Wigan entered the match as the League Leaders Shield holders and had not suffered defeat in their previous sixteen fixtures across all competitions.
They were widely tipped to reach a third consecutive Grand Final, yet the ferocious performance of a Wakefield side that had only been competing in the Championship two seasons earlier left the Warriors reeling. The first half was a tightly contested affair, with both teams matching each other’s intensity and physicality. Early on, Wakefield’s Jazz Tevaga was sin‑binned after a high tackle on Wigan’s Liam Marshall, giving the visitors a brief numerical advantage.
Wigan’s Brad O'Neill seized the moment, powering through the defense to score, but Wakefield answered promptly when Tom Johnstone finished a slick back‑line move in the corner. A penalty awarded for a ruck infringement against Wigan saw Trinity add two points, and they headed into the break with a slender lead. The second half began with the same level of pressure from both sides, but a pivotal moment arrived when Wigan’s play‑maker Adam Keighran was shown a yellow card for a dangerous tip‑tackle on Isaiah Vagana. The Warriors were forced to play with ten men for ten minutes, and Wakefield exploded onto the scoreboard.
Within seven minutes, Trinity crossed the try‑line three times. Johnstone completed a dazzling run to the corner for his second try of the night, Jack Sinfield bulldozed his way past Junior Nsemba to touch down, and Corey Hall sprinted down the wing to finish the third.
The rapid succession of scores turned a close contest into a 27‑point rout. Jake Trueman continued to impress throughout the game, delivering a crisp off‑load to Ky Rodwell, who capped the scoring onslaught with the final try. By the final whistle, Wakefield had amassed 33 points while limiting the once‑dominant Warriors to just six, a scoreline that underscored the magnitude of the upset. Wakefield head coach Daryl Powell praised his side’s performance, saying, "We were superb.
We completed at 100 per cent in the second half, 94 per cent in the first. We made one error all game. Wigan are excellent and have had an unbelievable season, but we were unbelievable tonight.
We started a little shaky but once we got our teeth into the game, it was a special group of boys and we now have an amazing opportunity next week." Wigan’s coach Matty Peet, reflecting on the loss, acknowledged the impact of Keighran’s sin‑bin, but insisted the result was not solely about that incident. "They had to be very good to punish us when we lost Adam," he said.
"No way is this game about that. We were well beaten. Wakefield deserve it. We were well prepared, we were motivated but they were too good.
Credit to Wakefield, it hurts, but the night belongs to them." With this victory, Wakefield Trinity will face Warrington Wolves in the Super League Grand Final at Old Trafford next Saturday. The matchup promises to be a historic occasion, as Wakefield seeks to cap their meteoric rise from the Championship to the pinnacle of the sport. Fans can watch the Grand Final live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports+, with streaming available on NOW without a contract. The showdown is scheduled for Saturday, October 3, at 5 p.m., and will determine who lifts the Betfred Super League trophy.