Wakefield Trinity have reached the Super League Grand Final for the first time, two years after their promotion from the Championship. The club secured their place with a 33-6 victory over Wigan Warriors in the play-off semi-final, setting up a title decider against Warrington Wolves at Old Trafford on 3 October. Winger Tom Johnstone, who scored two tries in the semi-final, described the achievement as a lifelong dream come true.

Johnstone returned to Wakefield in 2025 after a two-year stint with Catalans Dragons, having previously begun his career with the club. The turnaround follows the club’s reinvigoration after relegation in 2023, driven by the takeover of kitchen magnate Matt Ellis and the leadership of head coach Daryl Powell. Ellis’s financial investment and Powell’s experience have been pivotal in Wakefield’s rise from the Championship to Grand Final contenders.

Johnstone recalled visiting Ellis’s kitchen factory with his agent, where they discussed the club’s ambitions, saying he ‘couldn’t say no’ to the vision. The Grand Final appearance marks a remarkable resurgence for a side once battling relegation.