Wigan Warriors 6 Wakefield Trinity 33: Daryl Powell's history-makers on brink of immortality after reaching maiden Grand Final with famous win

Now the class of 2026 have a chance to add one that would stand out above the rest.

Two years after playing in the Championship, Daryl Powell's history-making side booked Trinity's place in a maiden Super League Grand Final by stunning the seemingly unbeatable Wigan Warriors on their own patch.

This is a Wigan team that had won 16 games in a row, including emphatic victories over Hull KR and Leeds Rhinos with trophies on the line. Wakefield did not just beat them; they battered them.

Matt Ellis vowed to turn black and white into colour when he arrived at the club. Powell and his players have now taken that vision to a place even the most optimistic Trinity supporter could scarcely have imagined.

A highest-ever Super League finish of fourth had already moved Wakefield into uncharted territory before they defeated Leigh Leopards to reach their first semi-final.

But beating the League Leaders' Shield winners in their own backyard could prove to be a seminal moment in their history.

Hull KR's breakthrough showed that clubs outside Super League's traditional elite could go all the way. Wakefield have now followed them through the glass ceiling, guaranteeing a new name on the trophy for the second year running after Warrington Wolves' win at Leeds.

This is heady territory for a competition dominated by four clubs for 30 years.

For Powell, who guided Castleford Tigers to the League Leaders' Shield and Grand Final in 2017, the opportunity to finally lift the Super League trophy has arrived again – and against the club that discarded him three years ago, no less.

The 2026 decider will not be short of storylines.

For Wakefield, the story that began with relegation to the Championship three years ago now has a date with Old Trafford.

Trinity and Powell needed each other back in 2023 – and boy have they made it work.

A season that appeared to be losing momentum still has one remarkable chapter to write.

Wakefield emerged from the toughest run-in of all their rivals in credit and, just as Powell predicted, it left them battle-hardened for their biggest test yet.

Trinity looked relaxed before kick-off and that translated into a controlled performance that belied their inexperience.

Wakefield signalled their intentions inside the opening set with an early shift but they mixed their tactics up to good effect, dominating the forward battle just as Jazz Tevaga suggested.

Trinity won the initial arm wrestle and only lost their grip following a lapse of discipline by Tevaga.

Having lit the touchpaper in midweek by taunting Wigan's pack, the combative forward crossed the line himself and saw yellow for the second time this season against the Warriors.

Tevaga was adjudged to have tripped Liam Marshall, leaving his side a man down for 10 minutes.

Wigan took advantage to break the deadlock through Brad O'Neill's close-range effort but Wakefield limited the damage to six points and almost struck themselves when Lachlan Walmsley and Cam Scott exchanged passes from a hopeful cross-field kick.

Tevaga quickly set about making amends upon his return, creating half an opening for Caleb Hamlin-Uele that nearly resulted in a sensational try.

Trinity maintained the pressure and it eventually told. The confident visitors sent the ball through the hands and Tom Johnstone did what he does best with an assured finish in the corner.

Max Jowitt added the extras with a nerveless touchline conversion before kicking a penalty following a late hit on Caius Faatili.

While they only trailed by two points at the break, the warning signs were already there for Wigan and belief was growing in the packed away end.

The Warriors had been imperious for so long that they had barely been tested in the build-up to the semi-final – and it showed during a Trinity blitz that had to be seen to be believed.

Adam Keighran did not help his team's cause with a rash tip tackle that earned him a spell in the sin bin but the mood Wakefield were in, they may have cut loose in any case.

Powell's inspired side immediately made the centre pay through Johnstone's acrobatic finish and were in dreamland when Jack Sinfield dummied his way over on the last tackle to move a step closer to emulating his father Kevin by playing at Old Trafford.

Corey Hall forced his way over to compound Keighran's misery and the points kept coming once he returned, Ky Rodwell coasting in from Jake Trueman's delayed pass.

Wakefield defended their lead as if the game were still on the line and landed another blow on their beaten hosts through Mason Lino's drop goal.

The last word went to the outstanding Jowitt, the departing full-back knocking over a penalty after O'Neill went looking for Tevaga.

In the end, the New Zealander won the verbal battle and the war as Trinity claimed one of the most memorable and astonishing wins in Super League history.

Wigan Warriors: Field, Daniel, Keighran, Eckersley, Marshall, French, Smith, Havard, O'Neill, Thompson, Nsemba, Partington, Ellis. Substitutes: Farrell, Walters, Mago, Kerr.

Tries: O'Neill (22).

Goals: Keighran 1/1.

Sin bin: Keighran (46).

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

Tries: Johnstone (30, 46), Sinfield (50), Hall (53), Rodwell (58).

Goals: Jowitt 6/7.

Drop goal: Lino (74).

Sin bin: Tevaga (15).

Referee: Liam Moore.