Wigan Warriors were defeated by Wakefield Trinity 33-6 in the semi-final of the Super League play-offs, ending their hopes of a second domestic treble in three years. Matt Peest told BBC Radio Manchester that Wakefield were 'far too good' for his side.
Wangan entered the semi-final on a run of 16 consecutive victories, having already secured the Challenge Cup and the League Leaders' Shield. The defeat thus ended their hopes of a third trophy in 2026.
Wigan, the hosts, led in the first half with a converted try by Brad O'Neill, but Wakefield responded with 33 unanswered points from both sides of the half. The victory sent Trinity to their first-ever Grand Final.
'We are always proud of the group,' said Peest. 'We will be disappointed with how it ended and the time for reflection will be in a few weeks, but I am proud of the group. This hurts, but it is sport.'
Peest added: 'The night 100 per cent belonged to Wakefield. It is sad when the season ends, but in that way... we were bad but Wakefield played well, which made us look so. We were beaten in every aspect of the game and the credit goes to Wakefield. We were prepared for a tough match but they were far too good for us.'
Wakefield will play against Warrington Wolves in the Grand Final at Old Trafford on Saturday, 3 October (18:00 BST).
