Hull KR made history in 2025 when they became only the fifth club ever to lift the Super League trophy, but the landscape of 2026 looks completely different. This year, the spotlight has shifted to two clubs that have never tasted Grand Final glory – Warrington Wolves and Wakefield Trinity – and the pressure on their respective coaches, Sam Burgess and Daryl Powell, is palpable. Warrington’s path to the final has been a long, winding road.
The Wolves have not hoisted the championship trophy in 71 years, a drought that looms large over the town and its supporters. Sam Burgess, the former South Sydney Rabbitohs forward turned coach, knows all too well what it feels like to break a generational curse. He was the man of the match when the Rabbitohs ended a 43‑year wait for a premiership in 2014, playing through a fractured cheekbone and cementing his place in rugby league folklore. Burgess says the parallels between that experience and what awaits him at Warrington are striking.
"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't very interested in trying to break the drought when I first took the job," Burgess admitted in a recent interview. "There are a lot of similarities between Warrington and South Sydney.
It hasn't been won here for 71 years, I'm aware of that. It's exciting, but as a player at Souths we got to the prelims in 2012 and 2013 before we finally won it in 2014. I felt the weight of expectation, the drought talk – it was heavy. But it’s not a burden on us now because we’re building something new.
It’s about this new group creating its own history rather than being weighed down by the past." Burgess’s words underline a crucial shift in mindset. Rather than letting the long‑standing drought dictate the narrative, he wants his squad to focus on the present moment, to forge a fresh identity and to play with the confidence that comes from knowing they are writing a new chapter for Warrington. The coach’s own experience of overcoming adversity on the biggest stage gives him a unique perspective, and he hopes to translate that into a winning formula for the Wolves.
Meanwhile, Daryl Powell has been steering Wakefield Trinity on a remarkable ascent. Just a season ago, the club was battling in the Championship, the tier below Super League. By 2025 they had clawed their way back into the top flight, and now, in 2026, they have not only reached the Grand Final but have done so in spectacular fashion, demolishing the heavily‑favoured Wigan Warriors 33‑6 in the semi‑final.
Wigan, who had already secured a domestic double earlier in the year, were expected to cruise through, yet Powell’s side delivered a statement victory that has captured the imagination of neutral fans across the country. Powell is aware that a win would represent the biggest achievement in Wakefield’s modern history, but his focus remains on the process rather than the outcome.
"These boys are impeccable human beings, I think. We're in a great place, we're tuned in," he said. "I think the players, from what I've seen so far, are pretty relaxed, pretty calm. There's going to be some nerves.
Getting our preparation right will be important, but we’ve done a massive amount of work over the last seven or eight weeks, playing against the best teams." He stresses that over‑thinking can be detrimental. "I try not to think about it, because I'd ask the players not to think about winning the game; I'd ask them to just be in the game, to play the game. That never helps – it only creates anxiety.
Clearly it would be unbelievable if we win, but we’re on a great journey, the club’s on a great journey, and this is the next step, a step into a great arena with an opportunity to do something unbelievably special. It’ll be a phenomenal story, and I think we're good enough to do it. It's all about Saturday and the boys just doing what they do best and making sure we play the game we want to play.
If we get that right, the result will take care of itself." Both coaches recognize that the Grand Final at Old Trafford on Saturday, October 3, will be more than just a match – it will be a defining moment for their clubs and their communities. For Warrington, a victory would end a seven‑decade wait and cement Sam Burgess’s legacy as the man who finally delivered the prize.
For Wakefield, a win would be the crowning achievement of a rapid rise from the second tier, a testament to Powell’s strategic acumen and the squad’s belief. The event will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports+, with a kickoff scheduled for 6 p.m. (coverage begins at 5 p.m.). As the two teams prepare for what promises to be a historic showdown, the weight of expectation remains heavy, but both Burgess and Powell are determined to channel that pressure into performance, hoping to give their towns a story they will cherish for generations.