WAKEFIELD TRINITY 52 CASTLEFORD TIGERS 14
CALLUM WALKER, DIY Kitchens Stadium, Friday

IT was never in doubt – even with Wakefield playing almost an hour with twelve men.

Matty Storton was sent off on 23 minutes for a shoulder charge to Alex Mellor’s head, but that merely inspired Daryl Powell’s side to regroup, recover and thrash their nearest and dearest once more.

Less than three weeks earlier, Wakefield had dismantled Castleford 48-6 at Magic Weekend. With a man advantage, this was arguably even more abject for the Tigers, even by their 2026 standards, and all the more remarkable for coming five days after an incredible win over leaders Leeds.

Tom Johnstone was brilliant, Caius Faatili imperious and Jake Trueman magnificent as the gap between Wakefield and Castleford continues to grow.

On the teamsheet, Max Jowitt, Corey Hall and Ky Rodwell all returned for Trinity with Will Tate and Myles Lawford making way.

Krystian Mapapalangi replaced Semi Valemei whilst George Lawler was out for Castleford.

Trinity were in no mood to mess around even in the first set. Johnstone was sent cantering down the wing off a superb Trueman pass and Storton was on the inside to take Johnstone’s offload. Jowitt converted for a 6-0 lead.

The hosts looked like they could break through at any moment and Mikaele Ravalawa did well to hoist Johnstone into touch as the clock hit eleven minutes.

But a Jazz Tevaga knock-on handed the Tigers their first opportunity, and they took advantage as Tom Weaver followed up a ricocheting Daejarn Asi grubber. Weaver himself converted to make it 6-6.

Ashton Golding limped off for the visitors moments later, before the Storton red card.

After weathering the early storm, the Tigers ramped up the pressure and a superb right-to-left move ended with Jason Qareqare flying in at the corner. Weaver couldn’t convert, but the visitors were 10-6 up with the half-hour in sight.

Yet the pendulum swung back the hosts’ way even while a man down as a brilliant Caleb Hamlin-Uele offload sent Faatili over for his trademark try against Castleford. Jowitt’s conversion sent Trinity into a 12-10 lead.

Jowitt himself prospered with two minutes go before the break, pinching one from dummy-half as Castleford’s defence stood still.

It was all Wakefield following the resumption too, Isaiah Vagana playing a one-two with Cameron Scott after the former sensationally plucked a Trueman bomb out of the air. Jowitt converted to make it 24-10.

Somehow Trinity looked like the ones with 13 men as Jowitt took a neat Hamlin-Uele offload to canter through and feed Johnstone on his inside.

Johnstone grabbed his hat-trick three minutes later following a tremendous Trueman lofted pass, before Corey Hall squirmed out of some horrendous tackling efforts to dot down.

But the home side weren’t finished there, and Vagana once more rose higher than Qareqare to palm a Trueman kick into the hands of Lachlan Walmsley on the hour.

Jowitt missed his conversion for the first and only time as Wakefield now led 46-10.

Yet another Trueman kick caused Qareqare trouble, and, after dropping the latest barrage, Castleford allowed Walmsley to fall over the line.

The Tigers fought until the end and Qareqare registered his second with four minutes to go, but the night belonged to nine-try Trinity.

GAMESTAR: Tom Johnstone may have scored a hat-trick, but his work coming out of defence was superb.

GAMEBREAKER: Five Wakefield tries in 17 minutes took the game away from Castleford.

HIGHLIGHT REEL: Isaiah Vagana rising highest to a Jake Trueman bomb and playing a one-two with Cameron Scott was a joy to behold.

ALBERT GOLDTHORPE POINTS
3 pts Tom Johnstone (Wakefield)
2 pts Caius Faatili (Wakefield)
1 pt Jake Trueman (Wakefield)

MATCHFACTS

TRINITY
23 Josh Rourke
19 Lachlan Walmsley
3 Cameron Scott
4 Corey Hall
5 Tom Johnstone
6 Jake Trueman
1 Max Jowitt
8 Mike McMeeken
9 Tyson Smoothy
10 Ky Rodwell
18 Isaiah Vagana
12 Matty Storton
13 Jazz Tevaga
Subs (all used)
14 Jay Pitts
15 Caleb Hamlin-Uele
16 Caius Faatili
17 Harvey Smith
18th man (not used)
24 Tray Lolesio
Also in 21-man squad
21 Jayden Myers
27 Myles Lawford
32 Will Tate

Tries: Storton (1), Faatili (31), Jowitt (38), Vagana (42), Johnstone (47, 50), Hall (55), Walmsley (63, 68)
Goals: Jowitt 8/9
Dismissal: Storton (23) – shoulder charge

TIGERS
35 Phoenix Laulu-Togaga’e
2 Mikaele Ravalawa
12 Alex Mellor
23 Krystian Mapapalangi
22 Jason Qareqare
6 Daejarn Asi
7 Tom Weaver
36 Tyler Dupree
9 Liam Hood
13 Joe Stimson
31 Ashton Golding
11 Jordan Lane
39 Jack Brown
Subs (all used)
8 Renouf Atoni
15 Jack Ashworth
25 Sam Hall
27 Cain Robb
18th man (not used)
24 Jenson Windley
Also in 20-man-squad
2 Semi Valemei
10 George Lawler

Tries: Weaver (16), Qareqare (26, 76)
Goals: Weaver 1/3

SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 6-6, 6-10, 12-10, 18-10; 24-10, 30-10, 36-10, 42-10, 46-10, 52-10, 52-14

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Trinity: Tom Johnstone; Tigers: Phoenix Laulu-Togaga’e

Penalty count: 2-2
Half-time: 18-10
Referee: Tom Grant