Nobody is giving them a chance, but coach Daryl Powell reckons Wakefield Trinity are capable of producing an earth-shattering shock when they visit Wigan Warriors on Saturday.

Wigan are on course for a second treble in three seasons after already winning the Challenge Cup and league leaders’ shield. Bookies William Hill make them odds-on to lift the Betfred Super League trophy at Old Trafford in eight days’ time, while Trinity are 16/1 outsiders.

Powell has no argument with Wigan’s status as red-hot favourites, but is confident Trinity - who have lost their last 11 away games against the Warriors - have some tricks up their sleeve. The Wakefield coach stressed: “They are clearly an outstanding team, so I think we know what we’ve got to do - we just have to deliver an outstanding performance on the night to give ourselves a chance.”

He said: “I think we’ve been a really consistent team all year and done lots of quality things. We’ve got an outstanding group of players and if everybody plays to their potential, then we give ourselves a great chance.

Wakefield Trinity forward Caleb Hamlin-Uele and Brad O'Neill, of Wigan Warriors, with the Betfred Super League trophy at Old Trafford. Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com.

placeholder image — Wakefield Trinity forward Caleb Hamlin-Uele and Brad O'Neill, of Wigan Warriors, with the Betfred Super League trophy at Old Trafford. Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com.

“Wigan are clear favourites, I think everybody would say that, [but] if everybody plays as well as they can, then we’ve got one of the best teams in the comp. I think we’ve shown that all year.”

Trinity are also battle-hardened after playing five teams from the top half of the table in their final six regular-season matches, plus last week’s elimination tie against Leigh Leopards. “Everybody was asking me a few weeks back about whether I felt like the tough run-in was good for us and I think it was,” Powell said.

Wakefield Trinity coach Daryl Powell comments on Emre Guler ban ahead of semi-fi...

“We played Leeds and we were shooting for potentially first at that point and we lost the game in the second half. A couple of weeks after that we played Wigan and that was a great game where we learned a lot of lessons about not giving them scraps to feed off and since then, we’ve gone bang, bang, bang, bang. We’ve won four games, we’ve been playing against teams in the top-six, so I feel like we’re pretty tuned in.”

Coach Daryl Powell says Wakefield Trinity have taken confidence from their battling 26-12 defeat at Wigan Warriors last month. Wakefield's Zac Lipowicz is seen being tackled by Bevan French, Luke Thompson and Oliver Partington during that game. Picture by Ed Sykes/SWpix.com.

One key to playing well, Powell - who will select from a 20-man squad for the semi-final, to be refereed by Liam Moore - says, is not getting too focused on the occasion. “It’s important we don’t get carried away with how big it is,” he warned. “We’ve worked hard all year to put ourselves in this position and we’ve given ourselves a good opportunity.

“I think it’s obvious we’re coming up against a team who everybody’s viewing as the best in the comp. They’ve won their last 14 so I don’t think there’ll be many putting a lot of money on us this week, but I just feel like there’s an inner confidence we can go and enjoy this challenge, which is a big one.”

Wigan Warriors: from Field, Eckersley, Keighran, Wardle, Marshall, French, Harry Smith, Havard, O’Neill, Thompson, Nsemba, Farrell, Ellis, Walters, Mago, Partington, Farrimond, McDermott, Kerr, Daniel, O’Connor.

Wakefield Trinity: from Jowitt, Scott, Hall, Johnstone, Trueman, Lino, McMeeken, Smoothy, Rodwell, Tevaga, Pitts, Hamlin-Uele, Faatili, Harvey Smith, Vagana, Walmsley, Sinfield, Myers, Rourke, Lipowicz.

Referee: Liam Moore (Wigan). Kick-off: Saturday, 5.30pm.