How the table looks could change drastically by the end of the weekend, with Leeds able to reclaim top spot if they beat York Knights on Sunday, while a third successive Trinity loss has them in danger of dropping to fifth on Saturday if defending champions Hull KR beat Toulouse Olympique.
Both sides had early chances to take the lead, but French was the reason that neither of them managed to open the scoring in the first 10 minutes.
First the Australian wasted a golden opportunity to send Zach Eckersley over with a forward pass, but within two minutes he came up with a stunning try-saving intervention at the other end by holding Max Jowitt up over the line before the full-back was controversially judged to lose the ball in his attempt to touchdown.
Eventually, it was French himself who broke the deadlock, pouncing on a stray Wakefield pass inside his own half before sprinting 65 metres untouched to go in near to the posts.
Two tries in five minutes from Marshall out wide put Warriors in a commanding position before the half-hour mark.
Wakefield head coach Daryl Powell called on Emre Guler for the first time soon after that, with the prop coming off the bench just two days after his move from NRL side St George Illawarra Dragons was brought forward by Trinity.
It was only five days ago that Guler, who had been due to make his Super League move next season, had started for the Dragons in their win against Wests Tigers.
Wakefield threatened to respond a number of times before Hall plucked a searching high ball from Jake Trueman from the sky to dot down for the visitors in the 53rd minute.
Hall very nearly linked up with Jowitt for another Wakefield four-pointer soon after, but the centre was forced into touch by Eckersley as he dished the ball off for the finish.
The game’s definitive moment came in the 65th minute when Field swooped on a knock-on from Mike McMeeken, who was within barging distance of the try-line, allowing the full-back to race away 95 metres in the other direction to score his 15th Super League try of the season.
Wigan Warriors: Field; Eckersley, Keighran, Wardle, Marshall; French, Smith; Havard, O’Neill, Thompson, McDermott, Partington, Ellis.
Interchanges: Mago, Kerr, Cartwright, O’Connor.
Wakefield Trinity: Jowitt; Myers, Scott, Hall, Pratt; Sinfield, Trueman; McMeeken, Lipowicz, Storton, Rodwell, Smoothy, Lolesio.
Interchanges: Hamlin-Uele, Faatili, Smith, Guler.
Referee: Chris Kendall.
