SUPER League will have a sixth name on its trophy next week after Wakefield blindsided Wigan, ending the champions’ 16-match winning streak in one of the game’s biggest-ever upsets.
In only their second year back in Super League after being relegated in 2023, Trinity will play Warrington at Old Trafford on Saturday after a scarcely believable 33-6 win over Wigan in the second semi-final at Brick Community Stadium.
Wakefield have not been champions in 58 years, Warrington in 71. Neither, of course, have won Super League and Wakefield have never played in a grand final.
Last year Hull KR were only the fifth club to win Super League. Tonight’s result means neither first places Wigan or second placed Leeds made the grand final.
Wigan conceded three tries while centre Adam Keighran was in the sin bin for a late tackle on Isaiah Vagana.
First, Tom Johnstone backed up his first half try with another brilliant finish in the 47th minutes. Then Jack Sinfield threw a dummy and sliced through to the right of the posts in the 51st.
Centre Corey Hall showed his strength and manouvrability in the 53rd down the left channel – and it was party time when Kai Rodwell careered over in the 59th
Wakefield held a shock 8-6 halftime lead despite having lock Jazz Tevaga sent to the sin bin midway through for tripping Liam Marshall.
The semi-final debutants started strongly but looked briefly to be losing control of proceedings after a try to Rugby League Writers player of the year Brad O’Neill in the 19th minute.
He had barged over from dummy half and the champions’ defence looked near impregnable.
But as the cliche goes, Wakefield soon steadied the ship.
Pushing into opposition territory, Jake Trueman created the extra man on the left and Tom Johnstone was the beneficiary.
Keighran had converted the O’Neill try but Jowitt’s shot was much more difficult and he nailed it.
Then came a penalty in the lead-up to halftime and against all odds Wakey led when Jowitt landed the long-range shot.
Mason Lino iced it with a late drop goal.
WAKEFIELD 33 (Johnstone 2 Sinfield Hall Rodwell tries Jowitt 6 goals Lino field goal) beat WIGAN 6 (O’Neill try Keighran goal) at Brick Community Stadium
WIGAN: Jai Field; Austin Daniel, Adam Keighran, Zach Eckersley, Liam Marshall; Bevan French, Harry Smith; Ethan Havard, Brad O’Neill, Luke Thompson, Junior Nsemba, Oliver Partington, Kaide Ellis. Res: Liam Farrell, Sam Walters, Patrick Mago, Taylor Kerr.
WAKEFIELD: Max Jowitt; Lachlan Walmsley, Cameron Scott, Corey Hall, Tom Johnstone; Jake Trueman, Jack Sinfield; Mike McMeeken, Tyson Smoothy, Ky Rodwell, Isaiah Vagana, Zac Lipowicz, Jazz Tevaga. Res: Mason Lino, Jay Pitts, Caleb Hamlin-Uele, Caius Faatili.
Referee: Liam Moore.
