Wakefield shock Wigan to reach first Grand Final

Wakefield shock Wigan to reach first Grand Final Betfred Super League play‑off semi‑final saw Wigan Warriors record a 6‑6 line with a try from O’Neill and a goal by Keighran, while Wakefield Trinity posted a 33‑8 victory thanks to two tries by Johnstone, singles from Sinfield, Hall and Rodwell, six goals from Jowitt and a drop‑goal by Lino. The result delivered a sensational upset that secured Wakefield’s archetypal ever Super League Grand Final appearance and ended Wigan’s hopes of a treble in 2026. After leading 8‑6 at the extremity of a choky archetypal period, Wakefield capitalised on Adam Keighran’s second‑half yellowish card, with Tom Johnstone, Jack Sinfield and Corey Hall each crossing while Wigan’s centre remained in the sin‑bin. England winger Johnstone had earlier answered Brad O’Neill’s opener for the Warriors, and Ky Rodwell added Wakefield’s fifth effort as Trinity rattled off 33 unanswered points to stamp their place at Old Trafford. Described as a Championship side as high as 2024, Wakefield has made immense progress in recent seasons under ambitious owner Matt Ellis and experienced head coach Daryl Powell, leaving them just one win shy of Super League glory. They will meet Warrington Wolves in the final decider on Saturday, 3 October. Wigan entered the semi‑final on a 16‑game winning streak, already holding the Challenge Cup and the League Leaders’ Shield. Their bid for a fourth consecutive Grand Final was halted on home ground by a commanding Wakefield display. Wigan’s sole points arrived while Wakefield forward Jezz Tevaga was in the sin‑bin for a trip on Liam Marshall, yet it was Keighran’s yellowish card for a high tackle on Isaiah Vagana that proved the turning point. During Keighran’s time off the field Wakefield’s lead grew from two points to eighteen, delighting the travelling supporters positioned behind the goal they were attacking. Mason Lino’s drop‑goal and Max Jowitt’s second penalty added further polish to the score, and owner Ellis joined the celebrations on the pitch at full‑time. Only five clubs have lifted the Grand Final trophy since its inception in 1998: Wigan, St Helens, Bradford Bulls, Leeds Rhinos and Hull KR. Wakefield’s success guarantees a sixth name on the trophy and a new champion for the second straight year, following Rovers’ triumph in 2025. Warrington have lost all four of their previous Grand Final appearances, the most recent coming in 2018. Powell, who oversaw Castleford Tigers when they fell in the 2017 Grand Final, is set to be a pivotal figure in the build‑up, drawing on his unspectacular season‑and‑a‑half spell in charge of the Wolves, which ended midway through the 2023 campaign. Try‑scoring half‑back Sinfield is poised to feature in a Grand Final eleven years after his father, Sir Kevin Sinfield, made the last of his eight Grand Final appearances. Sir Kevin claimed seven titles with Leeds Rhinos and is scheduled to present the match ball ahead of Saturday’s fixture to conclude his latest fundraising drive for motor neurone disease (MND) charities. “Hopefully he’ll be there!” Jack Sinfield told BBC Two. “He’s not present contiguous due to the fact that he’s starting in the morning, but I’m definite he’ll be watching and I can’t wait to see him next week.” “I’ve been to Grand Finals a just few times watching, so it will be good to do it the other way round and he can hopefully watch me win one.” Team lists: Wigan – Field; Daniel, Keighran, Eckersley, Marshall; French, Smith; Havard, O’Neill, Thompson, Nsemba, Partington, Ellis. Interchanges – Farrell, Walters, Mago, Kerr. Sin‑bin – Keighran (46). Wakefield – Jowitt; Johnstone, Hall, Scott, Walmsley; Trueman, Sinfield; McMeeken, Smoothy, Rodwell, Lipowicz, Vagana, Tevaga. Interchanges – Lino, Pitts, Hamlin‑Uele, Faatili. Sin‑bin – Tevaga (15). Referee – Liam Moore.