Chris Oliver previews Saturday night's Super League Grand Final between Warrington Wolves and Wakefield Trinity from Old Trafford.
Rugby League betting tips: Super League Grand Final
2pts Warrington to win by 1-12 points at 8/5 (bet365)
2pts both teams to score 14 points at 9/4 (bet365)
*Player performance bets may be added once prices become available
A new name is guaranteed on the Super League trophy as Warrington take on Wakefield in the 2026 Betfred Grand Final on Saturday evening.
That hasn’t happened since the inaugural Super League decider in 1998 and this is the first time the Old Trafford showpiece hasn’t featured Leeds, Wigan or St Helens.
In fact, both teams are bidding to end huge waits for a title, as Warrington last won the league championship in 1955 and Wakefield were last champions in 1968.
It’s only the second time in the Super League era that the Grand Final won’t feature either of the top two sides in the league. Only two points separated these in the final standings, with Warrington finishing a place ahead of Wakefield in third, and the bookies are struggling to split them this weekend.
Looking at the top prices, you can get evens for Warrington to win and 21/20 for Wakefield, so we could be set for a classic in this end-of-season showdown.
Your 2026 Wakefield Trinity Squad!!
— Wakefield Trinity (@WTrinityRL) September 26, 2026
2026 Grand Finalists!#UpTheTrin pic.twitter.com/ARkQ7SWxfx
There is no doubt that Wakefield were the stars of the semi-finals, having trounced huge betting favourites Wigan on their own patch.
Wakefield hot from Wigan win
With Wigan on a 16-game winning run, nobody gave Wakefield a chance last Saturday but they produced arguably the biggest shock in the history of the play-offs to record a 33-6 success.
Wakefield led 8-6 after a tight first half, but it was in the second 40 minutes that they really impressed as they ran in three quick tries while Adam Keighran was in the sin bin and kept their foot on the pedal to deny the expected Wigan comeback.
Daryl Powell has done an amazing job in his time as coach, having joined them three seasons ago when they were relegated to the Championship and he will now be leading them out in a Grand Final. That is a staggering turnaround.
Powell will be facing his old club here and the man who replaced him, Sam Burgess, has also come in for plenty of plaudits this year. So often Warrington have gone for big-name signings but Burgess has put his faith in the youngsters this year and it has paid off.
It was one of those youngsters who sealed Warrington’s place in the decider last Friday, as 18-year-old Ewan Irwin scored a penalty to land a 14-12 victory for ‘Wire’ away at second-placed Leeds.
Those were the only points of the second half in a thrilling and hard-fought battle at Headingley, but it was the sturdy defence of Warrington that prevailed in the end.
That win came on the back of beating defending champions Hull KR the previous week and they have hit form at the right time of the year.
Warrington have a recent history of being the nearly men in this fixture, having lost four Grand Finals between 2012 and 2018, so they will be desperate to lose that tag by finally claiming this prize.
So often the weather plays at big part in this fixture but a dry day is forecast in Manchester and we should get an open game for this mouthwatering tie.
What are the best bets?
That could be why the 9/4 about BOTH TEAMS SCORING 14 POINTS looks good value. That bet would have landed in both fixtures between these two teams this season, with Warrington winning 27-16 in their home fixture in February before Wakefield gained revenge to the tune of 25-18 in the return last month.
While their defences are solid, both teams also like to move the ball around in attack and should get plenty of opportunity to do so on the big pitch at the ‘Theatre of Dreams’.
The aforementioned Irwin held the team together so well while his halfback partner George Williams was out this season, but the latter is back now and their partnership could be key to their success here.
Williams was instrumental in his side’s win at Leeds last time out and he is a man for the big occasion, with his experience likely to be crucial alongside his young teammate.
They have firepower on the edges as well, not least through Matty Ashton and Toby King, and it was the latter who was especially eye-catching in the centres against Leeds. He is a real handful and is capable of terrorising the Wakefield defence out wide.
Wakefield’s success has come on the back of being very structured and organised, especially in the run-up to this game. They had a 100% set completion rate against Wigan and made only one mistake in the second half, so will be very hard to beat if reproducing that sort of form.
Jake Trueman was outstanding at scrum-half against Wigan and will be key to their fortunes again, but they also have the excellent Tyson Smoothy capable of doing plenty of damage at hooker, while Isaiah Vagana has been one of the best second-rowers in the competition this year.
Their coach, Powell, has experience of the Grand Final as he guided Castleford to this game in 2014, but his side failed to perform on the big stage that night and Wakefield fans will be fearful of the same happening to their team this weekend.
Williams and Warrington primed for glory
As it often is in finals like this, it may come down to who handles the occasion better and Warrington may be more suitably equipped in that department. Seven of their squad have played in this fixture before, as opposed to only two from the Wakefield team, and that may be a big factor.
With the two teams evenly matched in terms of the league table and this season’s encounters, there is unlikely to be too much in this one and the experience of Warrington is enough for me to side in their favour.
There looks little between the sides in the packs but it could be in the backs where this game is won and I prefer what Warrington have to offer in that department. Williams and Irwin are a fantastic combination at six and seven respectively, while they have the men out wide to capitalise on their creativity and finally win the title for their long-suffering fans.
It is likely to be tight, though, and WARRINGTON TO WIN BY 1-12 POINTS at 8/5 makes plenty of appeal.
Having said he has never wanted to win a game more than this one, Williams is desperate to go out on a high before he returns to Australia for a second crack at the NRL and the Warrington talisman can help his side to a famous victory.
Posted at 15:20 BST on 01/10/26
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