Betfred Super League play-off eliminator
Wakefield (12) 26
Tries: Smoothy, Johnstone, Vagana, Faatili Goals: Jowitt 5
Leigh (6) 16
Tries: Armstrong, Lam, Senior Goals: Cook 2
Wakefield Trinity reached their first Super League semi-final with a dominant victory over Leigh Leopards.
Daryl Powell’s side will face either Leeds Rhinos or Wigan Warriors next week after a powerful display by their pack and tries from Tyson Smoothy, Tom Johnstone, Isaiah Vagana and Caius Faatili proved too much for Leigh.
The away side seemed to be back in the game as David Armstrong’s superb try cut the deficit to six points just before half-time, but Trinity controlled the second half.
Even the dismissal of Wakefield forward Emre Guler for a punch could not alter the outcome, although tries from Lachlan Lam and Innes Senior cut the deficit.
Trinity have reached the Super League play-offs four times but have not progressed to the last four before, with Leigh thwarting them last season, their first back in the top flight following promotion.
This time the result never truly looked in doubt, Max Jowitt easing nerves with an early penalty before Smoothy’s 40/20 set up field position from which he darted over from dummy half.
The excellent Wakefield pack kept Leigh on the back foot and it was no surprise when Johnstone produced a brilliant flying finish in the corner for another try, although it took a video review to overturn referee Chris Kendall’s on-field decision.
Leigh burst into life in the last few seconds of the first half with a superb team move as Lam and Owen Trout combined to send Armstrong away, but Trinity struck first in the second half as Vagana scythed through Leigh’s defence to score.
Leigh’s defensive errors were piling up and when Jack Ashworth knocked on Faatili spun his way over the line to seemingly put the game beyond the visitors.
That was called into question when Guler, who was due to join Wakefield in 2027 but arrived in England last week to join the play-off push, lost his temper and thrust his fist into Trout’s face.
Lam again swapped passes with Trout to scamper over, and for the first time the Wakefield crowd went a little quiet, but a dangerous tackle by Jack Hughes allowed Jowitt to kick a penalty for his 500th Super League point and make sure of the win.
Leigh finished with a late flourish as Senior ended a lovely passing move with a try but it was no more than a consolation by that point.