Leigh Leopards and Wakefield Trinity faced each other in the final round of the regular season, with the latter taking the spoils, but everyone knows that things change when elimination is on the line.
Wakefield made history with a fourth-place finish in Super League, the highest in the club’s history. Next on the list is reaching the semi-finals for the first time ever.
Leigh, meanwhile, have been making waves since their return to the top flight in 2023, winning the Challenge Cup and making the Super League semi-finals regularly.
The next step for them is making it all the way to the big dance.
For Joe Ofahengaue, to do that, the Leopards need to execute their game plan well. If they do that, they might just achieve the very thing that would mean “everything”.
“It was a weird one. I thought the game shaped out to be all in Wakefield’s favour,” Ofahengaue told Sky Sports.
“That is not directing anything at the way the game was reffed. I just think we got our game plan wrong.
“They executed on a few mishaps in our defence but the Gods of rugby league have looked after us and given us a second shot.
“I think if we get our game plan on, we can really make some noise in this play-offs.
“Making it to the Grand Final would mean everything. I am banking on it.
“I am very emotionally attached to this squad. We have some key members of this squad leaving after this year and I want to send them out on a high note.
“The only way we can send them out on a high is if we win it.
“I don’t want to look too for ahead or picture myself too far ahead but it is definitely a great goal of ours to reach Old Trafford.”
Powell: We want to be genuine contenders
Wakefield head coach Daryl Powell has been integral to the club hitting new heights, getting better and better every season.
They were only promoted back to Super League in 2025, finishing sixth, and now moving up to fourth, is a symbol that they are growing into a club that consistently challenges at the top.
The next symbol for them is making it wins against Leigh two weeks in a row.
“I would expect Leigh to step up intensity-wise,” Powell told Sky Sports.
“I think they will go to another level. I mentioned that to the boys, I don’t think you can expect that game to dictate anything that happens this week.
“We have just got to reset ourselves, go again, and we feel like we can play better actually.
“We are talking about progression each year. We finished sixth and we didn’t feel like we did ourselves justice in the play-off game against Leigh in 2025.
“It’s ironic that we face them again this year and a chance for a little bit of redemption. Being a genuine top four team is about getting to those semi-finals and giving yourself a chance to get to the Grand Final.
“It would be an awesome thing for the club. If we can do that, we will be pretty excited.”
Eliminators
Friday September 18: Wakefield Trinity vs Leigh Leopards, KO 8pm on Sky Sports
Saturday September 19, Warrington Wolves vs Hull KR, KO 5:30pm on Sky Sports
Semi-finals
Semi-Final 1 – Friday September 25, Leeds Rhinos vs TBC, 8pm KO on Sky Sports
Semi-Final 2 – Saturday 26 September, Wigan Warriors v TBC, 5.30pm KO on Sky Sports
The Super League play-offs begin on Friday September 18, live on Sky Sports, and continues all the way through until the Grand Final from Old Trafford on October 3.
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