Wakefield scramble last-gasp win over Huddersfield

Published28 June 2026

Betfred Super League

Wakefield (16) 29

Tries: Johnstone, McMeeken, Sinfield, Rourke 2 Goals: Jowitt 4 Drop goals: Sinfield

Huddersfield (12) 23

Tries: Gagai, Geyer, O'Donnell, Swift Goals: Flanagan Jr 3 Drop goals: Russell

Josh Rourke scored a last-ditch interception try to give Wakefield a win in a topsy-turvy encounter with Super League's bottom side Huddersfield Giants.

When Olly Russell kicked a drop-goal for the visitors to level against his old club with one minute left, the game looked to be heading to golden-point extra time.

But the Giants scrum-half then threw a pass which Rourke picked off and carried over the line to snatch victory for the hosts and move them up to fourth in the table.

Trinity had raced into a 10-0 lead thanks to tries from Tom Johnstone and Mike McMeeken but the visitors fought back through tries from Jacob Gagai and Cole Geyer.

Jack Sinfield restored Trinity's advantage before the break, but Asher O'Donnell barged his way over just after the restart to put the Giants back in front.

A Max Jowitt penalty levelled it before Rourke did well to get in at the corner and put Wakefield back in front, only for Adam Swift to touch down to get the away side level.

Russell landed a drop-goal to match Sinfield's effort but there was time for more drama and heartbreak for the Giants, who have now lost nine successive games and are four points adrift at the bottom.

Wakefield are level on points with Wigan and St Helens, and four clear of seventh-placed Leigh Leopards.

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Giants show grit but winless run goes on

On the back of eight straight losses things could hardly have got off to a worse start for the Giants when Johnstone got in at the corner and prop McMeeken then dotted down, after Rourke flicked Jake Trueman's kick back.

However, they did not go under and two solo efforts in four minutes from Gagai and Geyer saw them turn the match on its head for the first time.

Sinfield's first Super League try since joining from Leeds in the off-season gave Wakefield a 16-12 lead at the break, but Russell kicked a 40/20 in the first play of the second half and O'Donnell crashed over.

Huddersfield, who were looking for a first wince since 4 April, could not hold on to their narrow lead as Jowitt kicked a penalty after a high shot on McMeeken to level and Rourke held off the attentions of three players to get in at the corner.

The visitors fought back once more when Swift cut in off the left edge and grounded the ball to make it 22-22.

Sinfield's drop-goal nudged Wakefield back into the lead before Russell's long-range effort levelled the scores yet again.

But the former Trinity man was left desolate when his pass was grabbed by Rourke who managed to get away from the chasers and win it.

Huddersfield will raise the curtain on Magic Weekend when they play York Knights at Everton's Hill Dickinson Stadium next Saturday, with Daryl Powell's men playing his former side Castleford in Sunday's first match.

'End was mad' - reaction

Wakefield head coach Daryl Powell told BBC Radio Leeds:

"Performance wise, I just said to the boys, it was a win but not an enjoyable one.

"We started great and I thought we lost control of the game a little bit. The game changed completely in the space of four or five minutes.

"At the end it was a bit mad really. The drop-goal from Jack was brave but a bit of an unconventional strike, I thought Olly's kick had fallen short initially and then he's given us the intercept.

"Two points but we'll have to improve from that. We've got too many players playing with not a great deal of confidence.

"I think to win next week we will have to improve."

Huddersfield Giants head coach Jim Lenihan told BBC Radio Leeds:

"Again, good improvement for us this week.

[On Olly Russell] "We all live together and we all die together. He kicked the field goal to put us in a position like that. We've got to back our ball players and make sure they're playing their game for us and unfortunately it didn't work out for us this time.

"I thought we showed a lot of character today, which was really the most pleasing part.

"Whether we won today it didn't really matter. We're on a journey of building a football club and a football team and all of this is part of that. It will come."

Wakefield: Jowitt, Rourke, Scott, Pitts Johnstone, Sinfield, Trueman, Tevaga, Vagana, Nikotemo, Rodwell, Smoothy, McMeeken.

Interchanges: Hamlin-Uele, Smith, Lolesio, Tate.

Huddersfield: Flanagan Jr, Swift, Jagger, Gagai, Milne, Lolohea, Russell, Powell, Dunford, O'Donnell, Rogers, Rush, Patolo.

Interchanges: English, King, Cozza, Geyer.

Related topics

Rugby League

Wakefield Trinity

Huddersfield Giants