Wakefield Trinity have secured their place in the Super League Grand Final for the first time, delivering a historic 33-6 upset against Wigan in the playoff semi-final. This remarkable turnaround follows a journey that began in 2023 when coach Daryl Powell was tasked by new owner Matt Ellis with rebuilding the club. Reflecting on his appointment, Powell recalled the mission set by Ellis: “When I came, Matt said to me: ‘I want you to turn black and white into colour’.” When this grand old club were last a rugby league force, the corridors of Wakefield’s famous Belle Vue ground are lined with black and white photos of the halcyon days of the 1960s. Days like these could not have seemed further away in 2023 when Daryl Powell was appointed by their new owner, Matt Ellis, with an initial remit to secure promotion back to Super League. But Ellis, the local kitchen magnate who has followed Wakefield all his life, had much loftier goals for the club he had just purchased. There is only one colour on this club’s mind right now though: gold. This is one of the great sporting stories of recent times. And then there is this particular story, there are rapid rises. The club have spent the majority of the Super League era and the decades before it languishing in the lower reaches and light years away from clubs like Wigan – who they dismantled here with one of the most complete playoff performances you are ever likely to find. How they did it defies description.
The transformation has been rapid. Just two years ago, Wakefield were competing in the Championship, where they defeated Doncaster 72-6 in front of fewer than 5,000 spectators. Now, they are within one victory of claiming their first league title since 1968. The achievement is particularly significant as next week’s final will be the first in league history not to feature Leeds, Wigan, or St Helens.
The match turned decisively in the second half when Wigan’s Adam Keighran was sent to the sin-bin for a tip tackle on Isaiah Vagana. Wakefield seized the momentum during this period, scoring 16 unanswered points to turn a slim 8-6 half-time lead into a commanding 24-6 advantage. Although Wigan had initially taken the lead through a Brad O’Neill try, they were unable to respond to Wakefield’s clinical play.
By the time Keighran returned to the field, Wakefield’s lead was insurmountable. Tries from Tom Johnstone, who crossed twice, along with scores from Jack Sinfield, Corey Hall, and Ky Rodwell cemented the result. Max Jowitt added six successful goals, while Mason Lino contributed a drop goal and a late penalty to seal the comprehensive victory.
Wigan coach Matt Peet acknowledged his side had been comprehensively outperformed. “Wakefield were outstandingly good,” Peet said. “We were outplayed and out-coached: they beat us all ends up. The night belongs to them.” The defeat ended Wigan’s pursuit of a historic treble.
For the 5,000 traveling supporters, the win marked a celebratory milestone as they watched their side dismantle the competition. Powell credited his team’s resilience, noting: “Our mentality was always we thought we could come here and win despite what people said. We were superb.”
The victory sets up a high-stakes Grand Final showdown at Old Trafford next Saturday against Warrington, the very club that parted ways with Powell in 2023. As the dust settles on this semi-final, Wakefield now stands on the brink of capturing the league title, successfully adding the color to a club that once relied on memories of the 1960s.
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