Betfred Super League play-off semi-final

Wigan Warriors (6) 6

Try: O’Neill Goal: Keighran

Wakefield Trinity (8) 33

Tries: Johnstone 2, Sinfield, Hall, Rodwell Goals: Jowitt 6 Drop-goal: Lino

Wakefield Trinity produced a sensational upset to reach their first ever Super League Grand Final and end Wigan Warriors’ hopes of a treble in 2026.

Having led 8-6 at the end of a tight first period, the visitors took full advantage of Adam Keighran’s second-half yellow card, with Tom Johnstone, Jack Sinfield and Corey Hall all crossing while the Wigan centre was in the sin-bin.

England winger Johnstone had earlier replied to Brad O’Neill’s opener for the Warriors and Ky Rodwell added Wakefield’s fifth try as Trinity registered 33 unanswered points to book their spot at Old Trafford.

A Championship side as recently as 2024, Wakefield have made huge progress in recent seasons under ambitious owner Matt Ellis and experienced head coach Daryl Powell – and they are now just one win away from becoming Super League champions.

They will face Warrington Wolves in the title decider on Saturday, 3 October.

Wigan went into the play-off semi-final on a 16-game winning run and with two trophies – the Challenge Cup and the League Leaders’ Shield – already secured.

However, their hopes of getting to a fourth consecutive Grand Final were crushed on home soil by an outstanding Wakefield display.

Wigan’s only points came while Wakefield forward Jezz Tevaga was in the sin-bin for a trip on Liam Marshall, but it was Keighran’s yellow card for a late tackle on Isaiah Vagana that proved to be the pivotal moment.

Wakefield’s lead stretched from two points to 18 during Keighran’s spell off the field, much to the delight of the away supporters stationed behind the end they were attacking.

Mason Lino’s drop-goal and Max Jowitt’s second penalty of the match added further gloss to the scoreline, and owner Ellis joined the celebrations on the field at full-time.

Only five clubs have won Grand Finals since the first was staged in 1998; Wigan, St Helens, Bradford Bulls, Leeds Rhinos and Hull KR.

Wakefield’s win guarantees there will be a sixth name on the trophy and a new champion for the second successive year, following Rovers’ victory in 2025.

Warrington have lost all four previous Grand Finals in which they have appeared, the most recent of them in 2018.

Powell, who was in charge of Castleford Tigers when they lost the Grand Final in 2017, is sure to be a central figure in the build-up, given his unspectacular season-and-a-half spell in charge of the Wolves which ended midway through the 2023 campaign.

Meanwhile, try-scoring half-back Sinfield is set to play in a Grand Final 11 years after his father, Sir Kevin Sinfield, made the last of his eight Grand Final appearances.

Sir Kevin won seven titles with Leeds Rhinos and he is scheduled to deliver the match ball before next Saturday’s game to round off his latest fundraising effort for motor neurone disease (MND) charities.

“Hopefully he’ll be there!” Jack Sinfield told BBC Two. “He’s not here tonight because he’s starting in the morning, but I’m sure he’ll be watching and I can’t wait to see him next week.

“I’ve been there [to Grand Finals] a fair few times watching so it will be nice to do it the other way round and he can hopefully watch me win one.”

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.