Gritty Wakefield, injury fears, advantage Hull KR and Wakefield Trinity v Wigan Warriors talking points

Wakefield Trinity pulled off their best win of the season so far as they beat Wigan Warriors 16-10 at Belle Vue.

Here’s our talking points from the contest.

Gritty Wakefield

Make no mistake, the result was exactly what Wakefield deserved from the game as they dug deep and showed the grit, heart and determination required to pull off their biggest result of the season so far. Caius Faatili got the Trin moving in the right direction, powering through a Wigan tackle to touch down for for his seventh Super League try of the season.

Josh Griffin ensured Wakefield went in at the break 10 points to the good when he got himself on the end of a deft Mason Lino grubber. Wigan hit back at the start of the second through Adam Keighran and many inside Belle Vue may have braced themselves for a Wigan comeback but Wakefield ensured it never came.

And, Tom Johnstone made sure of the result to cap a remarkable showing in West Yorkshire from Daryl Powell’s side. Jai Field got over late but it was nothing more than a consolation and it did little to spoil the party.

McMeeken missing

The Wakefield Trinity team news raised eyebrows when it came through 90 minutes before kick-off, with Mike McMeeken conspicuous by his absence. The skipper has provided a huge presence for the Trin this season and supporters knew the task of beating Wigan was harder without the middle.

Wakefield didn’t miss him too much on the field though as they dominated the reigning champions for large periods, but fans will have their fingers crossed it’s not a long-term issue. Mathieu Cozza appeared to pick up and injury when he was body-checked in the first half.

Faatili the pick up of the year?

In McMeeken’s absence Caius Faatili was excellent through the middle as the powerful prop made his presence felt. He got the scoreboard ticking over by running onto a crash ball and touching down before going on to give as much as he got against a big Wigan pack.

There’s been some signings this season in Super League, but Faatili was obscure to say the least with the forward being plucked out of the Queensland Cup. He’s a favourite at Belle Vue and Super League’s player of the month might just be one of the best deals of 2025.

Wigan a shadow of themselves

Wigan were average at best last week against Huddersfield Giants and needed a last minute try from Jack Farrimond to spare their blushes. As such, they needed to respond against Wakefield on Friday, but that response never came.

The Cherry and Whites lacked presence and knowhow with the ball in hand as they struggled to deal with Wakefield’s line speed and intensity in defence. They were their own worst enemies at times too with errors killing their hopes of putting their hosts to the sword. Wigan will bounce back and find form in weeks to come but Matt Peet has some work to do with his side before their clash with Castleford Tigers next Saturday.

Advantage Hull KR

There’s been a lot of debate about who is the best team in Super League right now, but the answer to that question is clear for all to see. Hull KR are not only four points clear at the top of Super League now, but they’re showing no signs of letting up.

In fact, the Robins look as though they’re getting better as the games tick by, registering their fifth Super League shut out of the season on Thursday night at Castleford. Wigan on the other hand, have it all to do in the battle for the League Leaders’ Shield and while they still have KR to play at home, they’ve clearly hit a slump in form at the halfway stage.

FULL TIME: Wakefield Trinity 16-10 Wigan Warriors

A huge victory for Trinity who overturn the reigning Betfred Super League champions! #UpTheTrin pic.twitter.com/RYeyTTwicK

— Wakefield Trinity (@WTrinityRL) June 20, 2025