The week of the Super League Grand Final is always a highlight for rugby league fans, but for Jack Sinfield it carries an extra layer of meaning. He is about to step onto the biggest stage in the sport while his father, Sir Kevin Sinfield MBE, is in the final leg of an extraordinary fundraising odyssey that has captured the nation’s attention.
Kevin Sinfield, a former Leeds Rhinos legend and one of the most respected figures in the game, is currently undertaking a grueling challenge: seven ultra‑marathons in seven consecutive days, stopping at each of the twelve English Super League clubs. Since launching his first annual run in 2020, the campaign has raised more than £11 million for motor neurone disease (MND) charities, a cause close to his heart after the diagnosis of his friend and former teammate Rob Burrow. The climax of Kevin’s latest endeavour will see him cross the finish line on the hallowed turf of Old Trafford, the home of Manchester United, where he will hand the match ball to his son, Jack.
For Jack, the gesture marks the beginning of his own historic moment: his first appearance in a Super League Grand Final, representing Wakefield Trinity as they take on the Warrington Wolves on Saturday, 3 October, live on Sky Sports. The stakes are high for both father and son. Kevin will have completed a marathon‑style trek that has taken him from club to club, raising funds and awareness for MND, while Jack will be trying to emulate the success his father enjoyed during his own playing days with Leeds, where Kevin helped the club secure seven Super League titles. The emotional overlap of their journeys converging at the "Theatre of Dreams" adds a narrative richness that feels almost scripted.
Jack admits that his father’s absence during the run has been felt at home. "I’ve spoken to him a little, but he’s been exhausted.
When he planned this final leg at Old Trafford, I never imagined I’d be playing in the game. It’s turned out better than I could have hoped," he said. The young half‑back also shared the everyday reality of missing his dad: "It’s strange around the house when he’s not here. I’m hoping to see him on Thursday when he runs past our neighbourhood." Old Trafford is not an unfamiliar arena for Jack.
He grew up watching his father lift the Super League trophy, and his earliest memory of rugby league is the 2004 Grand Final, which aired when he was just three weeks old. He has attended every Grand Final his dad has played in, but the 2015 final stands out most vividly. "I was eleven, and it was Kevin’s last game for Leeds. The whole family was emotional—it was the year Leeds completed the treble.
That memory sticks with me," Jack recalled. The logistical side of preparing for a Grand Final has also been a learning curve.
"I didn’t realise how stressful ticketing could be. Watching my dad sort tickets for years gave me some insight, but the last two days have been a nightmare trying to get everything in order. Still, it’s worth it—these are the games you dream of playing in," he added. Jack’s ambition has always been to follow in his father’s footsteps, not just by playing at the highest level but by winning a Grand Final.
"It’s been a dream to step onto this stage and win, just like Dad did. Now that it’s happening, it feels different, more personal," he said, smiling as he remembered a photo on his phone from a previous match. "It was a special moment—maybe we’ll get another picture this weekend, after he’s had a shower!" The match itself will be contested at 6 p.m. on Saturday, with Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports+ providing live coverage from 5 p.m.
The player‑of‑the‑match award, now known as the Rob Burrow Award, adds an extra layer of poignancy. If Jack were to lift that trophy, it would be a full‑circle moment: a son winning an award named after his father’s close friend, whose own battle with MND inspired Kevin’s charitable marathon. In summary, the Grand Final promises to be more than just a championship decider.
It is a celebration of family legacy, charitable dedication, and the enduring spirit of rugby league. As Wakefield Trinity aims to become only the sixth club ever to claim the Super League crown, the Sinfield family’s intertwined stories will provide a fairy‑tale backdrop that could inspire a generation of fans and players alike.