Wakefield Trinity have etched their name into the club’s history books, reaching the Super League semi-finals for the very first time, with head coach Daryl Powell suggesting that his team are in a ‘great place’ going forward.
The momentous achievement came after a thrilling 26-16 triumph over Leigh Leopards in a play-off eliminator, played out in front of a sold-out crowd at the DIY Kitchens Stadium.
The victory marks another significant milestone for Daryl Powell’s side, who had already secured their highest-ever Super League finish of fourth by defeating Leigh in the final game of the regular season just last week.
Tries from Tyson Smoothy, Tom Johnstone, Isaiah Vagana, and Caius Faatili were instrumental in a largely dominant performance. Trinity even managed to withstand playing the final 20 minutes with 12 men after Emre Guler received a straight red card.
Speaking to the media post-match, head coach Daryl Powell reflected on the intense knock-out tie, stating: “This game’s mad, isn’t it? In the first half I thought we were outstanding and we dominated the game like we did last week but the scoreline didn’t really show it.”
He continued, acknowledging the shift in momentum: “Obviously they scored just before half-time and then at the start of the second half I thought we blew them away. Emre getting sent off changed the game a little bit but I thought we did some really smart things to shut the game out.”
Powell also praised Leigh’s response: “They did some smart things chasing the game as well. It ended up being helterskelter for the last 30 minutes. I thought we were awesome for large parts of the game and saw it out when we needed to.”
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Red card verdict issued by Daryl Powell
Guler’s dismissal followed an altercation with Owen Trout, a decision Powell felt was harsh, though it’s one that Sky Sports pundits Sam Tomkins and Jon Wilkin have both since described as ‘dumb’.
“There might have been a bin but I don’t think it’s a punch,” Powell said post-match when asked about the incident.
“He’s reacted to heavy contact but I don’t think there’s any bad real intent in it,” he commented, adding: “I don’t think it’s a red and I don’t think there should be anything to come from it to be honest. The sending off should be sufficient. It was pretty harsh.”
Despite the setback, Powell was impressed by his team’s resilience. “You then start watching the clock don’t you? We had started the second half so well and built up a pretty commanding lead and felt like we would have gone on with it then you’re down to 12 against a team chasing the game and pretty much everything they tried stuck.
“They are one of those teams that when they start moving the ball from side to side they can cause you a lot of trouble. We had to deal with it and we dealt with it pretty well in the main.”
He further highlighted the danger posed by their opponents: “They are such a dangerous team when they start to move the ball. They’re dangerous against 13, and super dangerous against 12. There were a lot of desperate big plays that we came up with towards the end.”
What next for Wakefield Trinity?
Looking ahead, Wakefield Trinity will face either Wigan Warriors or Leeds Rhinos in the semi-finals, depending on the outcome of the other elimination tie between Warrington Wolves and Hull KR.
Reflecting on the historic achievement, Powell said: “It’s big. It was our last home game so we wanted to give our fans a decent send-off. We don’t know where we have to go to yet. We’ll see what happens and then we will prepare for what comes next week.”
He concluded with confidence in his squad: “I feel like we are in a great place. The pack is playing so well and that is always your foundation. The whole team is in a good place mentally. Wherever it is we will face up to it and get after the game and we will see how good we can be. We are capable of beating anybody but we have got to be right on top of our game.”
FULL TIME: Wakefield Trinity 26-16 Leigh Leopards
THE TRIN ARE THROUGH TO THE PLAY-OFF SEMI-FINALS!#UpTheTrin | @TheLEDStudio pic.twitter.com/llMGhgvL5J
— Wakefield Trinity (@WTrinityRL) September 18, 2026
