Wonderful Wakefield Trinity score nine tries at Wembley to thrash Sheffield Eagles in 1895 Cup final

Trin turned on the style to run in nine tries on their way to a stunning 50-6 victory. Six of those scores came in the second half - from just three players, Oliver Pratt, Josh Griffin and Jermaine McGillvary, who all got doubles - as the Eagles were blown away.

Lachlan Walmsley, the exceptional Luke Gale and Thomas Doyle started with the damage in the first half.

It was an emotional day for everyone inside Wembley as Leeds Rhinos legend Rob Burrow was fondly remembered throughout the course of the day, which included both the women’s and men’s Challenge Cup finals before Wakefield’s time in the spotlight came at 5.45pm.

And the occasion had been a long time coming for everyone connected with the club. They have had to be patient for 45 years to play here again at Wembley.

That time, in 1979, ended in sadness as Widnes won 12-3 to lift the Challenge Cup. 11 years earlier, in 1968, they also tasted defeat here against Leeds, 11-10, in the famous "Watersplash” final.

You have to go back 61 years for Trin’s last triumph at this iconic venue. And, despite, a bright start this evening against Sheffield, it looked, very briefly, like it could be another year of hurt at Wembley for Wakefield.

But this new Trin outfit, led by new, ambitious owner, and life-long fan, Matt Ellis, and new, experienced head coach, Daryl Powell, you sense days like this will become more frequent. That is the hope anyway. And why not, even with this crop of players who are running away, and currently unbeaten, in the Championship.

Powell named his strongest side. In terms of squad numbers, one to 13 made up the starting 13.

The number 5, the electrifying winger Walmsley, who tasted success in this very competition last year with Halifax Panthers, appeared to be away down the left in the opening two minutes after his team-mates moved it well from the right, but he was stopped in his tracks by a high tackle.

On the next set, a high Mason Lino bomb enabled Trin to force a goal-line drop-out as they applied some early pressure.

A Max Jowitt grubber kick teased Pratt into thinking he could touch down but the ball just skipped out of his reach.

For all of Wakefield’s possession, they were not at their typical, clinical best.

And Sheffield, against the pressure, and the odds, grabbed the game’s first points after a quarter of an hour when Eddie Battye found Anthony Thackeray, who got past three Wakey players to touch down.

Talk about a shock to the system. At an arena which has produced a lot of exciting drama over the years, this was certainly not in the script.

But Wakefield got right back on track almost immediately - courtesy of a loose pass straight into the arms of the quickest player on the pitch.

There was still a lot of work for Walmsley to do after he leapt like a salmon to claim the wayward pass 90 metres from his own try-line. But once he put the afterburners on, there was simply no stopping him.

Another try quickly followed as Trin turned the game around in a blink of an eye as Gale dived over. It was at the same end where he scored a Challenge Cup-winning drop goal for Leeds Rhinos against Salford in 2020. There was nobody in the ground to witness that moment. He had around 10,000 Wakefield fans cheering tonight.

It was beginning to look like Thackeray’s try was the worst thing that Sheffield could have done. It had certainly awoken the beast within Trinity.

But we know how dangerous they have been this season, Powell’s men, especially in this competition. On their way to Wembley, Wakefield had scored an incredible 38 tries in just four games in the competition. That is a try, on average, every 8.42 minutes.

They had to wait until the half-time hooter for try number three as Doyle went over between the sticks.

It was a very healthy 18-6 lead. For Sheffield, a complete role-reversal from last Sunday’s game at Batley Bulldogs where they had established an 18-4 half-time lead only to capitulate in the second half.

The Bulldogs are no strangers to comebacks. In last year’s 1895 Cup final they recovered from a 12-0 deficit against Halifax Panthers to get back to 12-10 right at the death. But they couldn’t force golden point extra time as Fax held on.

There was no chance the 2024 edition was going the distance as two tries in the first ten minutes of the second half sealed which part of Yorkshire the trophy was destined to head.

Pratt’s lovely double was sandwiched between Griffin’s first. McGillvary continued the onslaught as Trin made it 40-6. This was the experienced winger’s first ever appearance at Wembley. Not a bad way to introduce yourself at the national stadium.

Sheffield were their own worst enemy. A simple pass went wayward allowing Griffin, who simply could not believe his luck, to collect the loose ball and touch down.

The best was saved until last McGillvary powered over after a remarkable run down the right saw him bounce away a couple of shell-shocked Sheffield players.

45 years since seeing their team at Wembley? It was worth the wait for the Wakefield trinity fans as they joyously saw Matty Ashurst, on his 350th career appearance, lift the trophy.

Wakefield: Jowitt, McGillvary, Thornley, Pratt, Walmsley, Gale, Lino, Bowden, Hood, Atoni, Ashurst, Griffin, Pitts

Interchanges: Kay, Uele, Rodwell, Doyle

Tries: Walmsley, Gale, Doyle, Pratt (2), Griffin (2), McGillvary (2)

Conversions: Jowitt (7)

Sheffield: Hansen, Jones-Bishop, Welham, Glover, Dawson-Jones, Aston, Thackeray, Battye, Halafihi, Dickinson, Bower, J Farrell, Gwaze

Interchanges: Clark, Murphy, Wood, Sene-Lefao

Tries: Thackeray

Conversions: Aston