Wakefield Trinity will host Leigh in the opening Super League play-off fixture on Friday, marking the start of the eliminator phase. Both teams, once considered unfancied, have experienced a significant turnaround in recent seasons.
Wakefield, under coach Daryl Powell and with investment from owner Matt Ellis, won the Championship League Leaders' Shield in 2024 and returned to Super League in 2025. They secured a play-off spot in their first season back and finished fourth this campaign, their highest-ever Super League finish. Powell stated that reaching the Grand Final must be the aim.
Leigh, who rebranded as the Leopards, have competed in the play-offs in every campaign since their 2023 return to the top flight, also winning the Challenge Cup. Coach Adrian Lam noted that they were 80 minutes away from Old Trafford in the past two seasons. Leigh's Umyla Hanley and Wakefield's Caleb Hamlin-Uele were both named in the Super League Dream Team.