Wigan stand in way of Wakefield's first Grand Final
Wakefield Trinity are 80 minutes from the Grand Final. To get there for the first time, they must win away at Wigan Warriors on Saturday.
It is the Super League play-off semi-final, the knockout stage where the top teams at the end of the regular season fight for a place in the title decider. Wigan will host Wakefield, with the match shown live on BBC Two and iPlayer from 17:15 BST on Saturday, according to BBC Sport.
Wigan start as the team to beat. The Warriors have regained the Challenge Cup, rugby league's historic knockout competition, and the League Leaders' Shield, the prize for finishing top of the regular table, after surrendering both in 2025.
Their form is relentless. Wigan's last defeat was a heavy loss at Hull KR in May, when a young side stood in while senior players were rested before the Challenge Cup final. They won that final a week later and have since won 15 consecutive league games.
Wakefield's presence at this stage is remarkable. They were playing in the Championship, the division below Super League, as recently as 2024. Owner Matt Ellis completed his takeover in late 2023, head coach Daryl Powell was tempted back to coaching by the project at Belle Vue, and the club reached the play-offs in its first year back in the top tier before beating Leigh to make this season's semi-finals.
The two sides have met in knockout rugby before this season. Wigan got the better of Wakefield on their way to Challenge Cup success.
Wakefield will have to do it without a suspended forward in Wigan, as reported by the Wakefield Express. There is change ahead elsewhere too. Australian Tyson Smoothy joined Trinity from NRL side Brisbane Broncos and will leave at the end of the season after signing for new franchise Perth Bears.
Wigan are led by head coach Matt Peet. His team knows this route well. They deal in high completions, meaning they rarely waste their sets of six tackles, and squeeze opponents with field position.
What makes this stand out is the contrast. One club is chasing another trophy to add to a full cabinet. The other is chasing a day out it has never had.
