Wakefield Trinity forward Jazz Tevaga taunts Wigan Warriors pack with 'only two threats' jibe
There is a line Jazz Tevaga knows he cannot cross on Saturday.
The Wakefield Trinity loose forward has never been one to shy away from confrontation and admits he can sometimes go into the red.
He is ready for Wigan Warriors' attempts to get under his skin. And after the costly yellow card he received against the Warriors in April's Challenge Cup quarter-final, Tevaga knows better than most the price of losing his cool.
But that does not mean he intends to play nice. Before Wigan can get to him, Tevaga has poked the bear himself and lit the touchpaper ahead of the Super League semi-final at the Brick Community Stadium.
"I reckon we've got a better pack," he declared. "I reckon we've got the best pack in the game.
"I really reckon we do. To me, the only threats in their pack would probably be Junior (Nsemba) and Paddy (Mago).
"I'm pretty confident our pack can get it over them. It's important that we really go after our start and then we've got the two big boppers (Caleb Hamlin-Uele and Caius Faatili) on the bench. They're probably having the best season of their careers.
"I think the balance and different looks we have in our pack are what set us apart from the rest."
His comments are unlikely to win him many friends in Wigan – but perhaps that is the point.
Facing a team protecting a 16-game winning run, there is a sense that Wakefield must drag the Warriors out of their comfort zone if they are to reach a maiden Super League Grand Final.
Tevaga is not in the business of making friends on the field but he knows there are limits to how far he can push things after learning the hard way in his first season at Wakefield.
"I've had an up-and-down year," admitted Tevaga, who has been banned three times in 2026.
"It took me a while to settle in. I went through some personal stuff off the field. But I reckon I've found my groove the last couple of weeks, staying disciplined and calm.
"I've got to get the balance right and I wasn't doing that at the start. My personal stuff was coming out on the field through over-aggression and I just wasn't helping the team. I'm no good to anyone being on the sidelines."
Those lessons have changed the way Tevaga harnesses his aggression.
The combative forward feels better equipped to cope with the provocation heading his way this weekend.
"There's a lot of testosterone on the field and a lot of egos, too," he added.
"It's easy to lose focus and get into the red, as we call it. That's where I was ending up.
"I know what's coming this week. I know they'll be trying to get under my skin and into the red. But it won't happen.
"I'm focused on my job. I feel like I've found a good balance where I can play just under the line and on the edge.
"There are a lot of sh*t talkers on the field – and I'm one of them. It's really fun and helps me get motivated.
"I'm looking forward to the challenge this week."
Ultimately, this is what Tevaga signed up for when he bought into Wakefield's vision.
The prospect of history is now within touching distance after Trinity moved in sight of Old Trafford with an impressive win over Leigh Leopards.
For all the talk of keeping his emotions in check and staying on the right side of the line, the semi-final at Wigan is just the kind of occasion Tevaga came to Wakefield to experience.
"Before I decided to come over, I did some research and thought Wakefield had a lot of potential," he said.
"I didn't think we'd reach these heights this year but the boys have worked really hard and we're 80 minutes away from a Grand Final.
"I'm really confident going into the weekend. I know everyone is writing us off, which adds more fuel to the belly.
"I've told the boys that there's no pressure on us; all the pressure is on them because everyone is expecting them to win."