Wonderful Wakefield Trinity stun Wigan Warriors to reach first-ever Super League Grand Final

Trin will head to Old Trafford next Saturday after a momentous 13-minute period at the start of the second half - where they scored four outstanding tries from Tom Johnstone, Jack Sinfield, Corey Hall and Ky Rodwell - helped them to a superb 33-6 win at a shell-shocked Brick Community Stadium, a haunted venue Wakefield had not won at since 2017.

In what was their first-ever Super League play-off semi-final, Wakefield even came behind to lead 8-6 at the break thanks to a Johnstone try and a Jowitt penalty.

A late Mason Lino drop-goal and another Jowitt penalty added salt into Wigan’s wounds whose hopes of a treble were dashed with aplomb.

There will now be a new name on the Grand Final trophy with Trinity set to take on Warrington Wolves who edged out Leeds Rhinos 14-12 at Headingley last night.

And if Trinity play like this then they could secure their first top division league title since 1968.

Sinfield came in to partner Jake Trueman in the halves with Lino dropping to the bench, and, with Emre Guler suspended following his straight red card in the play-off eliminator victory over Leigh Leopards, Zac Lipowicz moved from the bench and into the starting pack.

In a typical start to a big game with so much at stake, both sides traded sets in a cagey first ten minutes before a very keen Trin side made the first error. That allowed Wigan to have a first real crack at Wakefield’s defence, which held firm with Lachlan Walmsley outjumping Liam Marshall to claim a high kick.

The Warriors then conceded their first penalty allowing the instrumental Trueman to grubber-kick through to Mike McMeeken but he was thwarted by England team-mate Harry Smith in the in-goal area.

Momentum was handed back to the home when Jazz Tevaga was sent to the bin for a trip on Marshall. And the visitors were put under pressure straightaway with Jai Field and Adam Keighran causing problems.

The home side’s try eventually arrived in their next attack when Brad O’Neill powered over by the posts despite the best attempts of three Trin players.

But instead of Wigan - who had won their previous 11 games here against Wakefield - pushing on, it was Daryl Powell’s men who dominated the final 20 minutes of the opening half.

A Field error handed over the initiative with the creative Trueman forcing a gap but he did not use Isaiah Vagana who could have scampered through it. Instead the ball came back to Trueman who kicked to the right to find Walmsley exchanged acrobatic passes with Cam Scott but Wigan survived.

The pressure, however, was mounting, and they deservedly got back into the contest when Trin moved the ball to the left allowing Johnstone to stretch over. It was the first set of points for the club in a first-ever Super League play-off semi-final. And the 4,000 Trin fans who made their way over the Pennines erupted with joy as Jowitt levelled it at 6-6 from the touchline.

Jowitt’s boot then edged Trin in front with a penalty to give them an 8-6 lead at half-time.

If Trinity’s fans were pinching themselves at the interval, then they would have been in utter dreamland 20 minutes into the second half as Wakefield’s players played like Wigan have been playing for their past 16 games.

They were helped when Keighran was sent to the sin bin six minutes after the restart after he lifted Vagana up over the horizontal but what came next was a performance the seemingly all-conquering Wigan - looking to add to their Challenge Cup and League Leaders’ Shield successes - would have been proud of.

The onslaught commenced when Johnstone went over in the corner before Sinfield, the day before his dad Sir Kevin starts his 7 in 7 challenge which finishes at Old Trafford at next week’s Grand Final, dotted down after a great solo run.

Trueman and Jowitt then combined to release Hall who extended the lead even further. It was a third splendid try in just six incredible minutes.

It got better just before the hour mark when the excellent Trueman fed Rodwell to stroll in for an easy try. Four tries in 13 minutes and Wakefield had two feet in their first Grand Final.

A shell-shocked Wigan had no response as the home fans streamed to the exits, with Lino knocking over a late drop-goal and Jowitt adding another penalty in a show of Trin’s sheer dominance.

Wigan: Field, Daniel, Keighran, Eckersley, Marshall, French, Smith, Harvard, O’Neill, Thompson, Nsemba, Partington, Ellis

Interchanges: Farrell, Walters, Mago, Kerr

Tries: O’Neill

Conversions: Keighran

Wakefield: Jowitt, Walmsley, Scott, Hall, Johnstone, Trueman, Sinfield, McMeeken, Smoothy, Rodwell, Lipowicz, Vagana, Tevaga

Interchanges: Lino, Pitts, Hamlin-Uele, Faatili

Tries: Johnstone (2), Sinfield, Hall, Rodwell

Conversions: Jowitt (4)

Penalties: Jowitt (2)

Drop Goal: Lino