12-man Wakefield Trinity storm into play-off semi-finals for first time ever after pulsating eliminator victory over Leigh Leopards

At a sold out, spine-tingling atmospheric DIY Kitchens Stadium, on what turned out to be a historic evening tonight (Friday), Trin scored two tries in each half courtesy of Tyson Smoothy, Tom Johnstone, Isaiah Vagana and Caius Faatili on their way to a dominant 26-16 win, and storm into the Super League play-off semi-finals for the first time ever, with barely little fuss.

They could even afford to play the last 20 minutes with 12 men after Emre Guler was shown a straight red card.

The talk around Trin is that nights like these are set to become the norm. The club has certainly been on an upward trajectory after relegation to the Championship three years ago.

Since then the journey has been simply sensational with Wakefield completing a wonderful treble on their way to promotion back to Super League before a sixth-placed finish and an away play-off tie at Leigh last season.

That may have ended in heartache, with Daryl Powell claiming his side “didn’t do ourselves justice,” but more progress has been made in 2026 with a win at the Sports Village last week confirming Trinity’s highest-ever Super League finish, fourth, and a crack at the Leopards on their own turf.

A sell-out, raucous DIY Kitchens Stadium was as hostile and as electric as possible to help Trin on their way to a first-ever Old Trafford, Grand Final appearance.

Now they are just 80 minutes away from that historic feat against either Wigan Warriors or Leeds Rhinos.

And the splendid off-field efforts were replicated on the Belle Vue turf right from the get-go. Mason Lino was taken out off the ball in the fourth minute allowing Max Jowitt to kick over a penalty for the first points of the night.

It was just two points, but it gave Wakefield a welcome platform. Jake Trueman and Corey Hall then combined expertly well to find the marauding Johnstone on the wing but he knocked-on in front of the gleeful Leigh fans, although they did not have much to cheer about until the end of a largely one-sided half.

Cam Scott and Lachlan Walmsley, one of three changes to the 17 which beat Leigh in the final game of the regular season last week, then escaped down field to keep the pressure on the visitors.

The moment of the half, arguably, then arrived from Smoothy who produced a magnificent 40-20 to pen the Leopards back even further.

You sensed a try was coming. Both Trueman and Walmsley came close before the excellent Smoothy darted over from dummy half.

Defensively, Powell’s men were keeping Leigh at bay, while the powerful Faatili was denied on the line at the other end. Moments later, however, Trin worked it well to the left with Johnstone stretching over to find the corner.

The try was initially ruled out on the field but Belle Vue erupted when the decision was overturned by the video ref, with footage showing the athletic winger had not gone into touch.

Before last Friday, you had to go all the way back to April 4 for the last time Leigh had not scored a single point in the first half of a Super League contest. Trinity seemed on course to keep them out for the second time in a week.

But life, aside from the echo of cheers from the Leopards supporters in the West stand, appeared to have been momentarily sucked out of Wakefield’s home when David Armstrong escaped to get his side back into the contest with 25 seconds of the half remaining.

There was a sweet moment during the interval when a Trinity fan got down on one knee in a marriage proposal whilst his partner was competing in the crossbar challenge.

And love was certainly back in the air six minutes into the second half when Vagana delivered a fine individual effort to restore Trin’s 12-point advantage.

The lead was extended even further when Faatili crashed over from close range as Trinity had one foot in the play-off semi-final.

But the visitors were handed a lifeline when Guler was shown a straight red card with 20 minutes remaining after an altercation with Owen Trout.

Lachlan Lam scampered clear to get Leigh to within two converted scores to level the tie but Jowitt’s penalty with seven minutes left settled the Trin nerves.

Innes Senior’s try was too little, too late, as Wakefield deservedly gave themselves a shot of yet more history as they are now just 80 minutes away from a first-ever Super League Grand Final appearance.

Wakefield: Jowitt, Walmsley, Scott, Hall, Johnstone, Trueman, Lino, Rodwell, Smoothy, Guler, McMeeken, Vagana, Tevaga

Interchanges: Pitts, Hamlin-Uele, Faatili, Lipowicz

Tries: Smoothy, Johnstone, Vagana, Faatili

Conversions: Jowitt (3)

Penalties: Jowitt (2)

Leigh: Armstrong, Senior, Badrock, Hanley, Charnley, Cook, Lam, Ofahengaue, Horne, Trout, Alick-Wiencke, Hughes, Liu

Interchanges: Ipape, Davis, Brogan, Ashworth

Tries: Armstrong, Lam, Senior

Conversions: Cook (2)

Attendance: 9,258