Wakefield must end losing run in final regular-season Academy fixture
The Wakefield Trinity Under-18s make the short trip across the city boundary to Stanningley on Thursday evening to meet Leeds Rhinos Academy in what will be their final league game before the top four break to decide the 2026 Grand Finalists. Kick off is 7pm at the Rhinos’ home base.
Leeds arrive in good form. Under Chev Walker their young side have recovered from an earlier defeat to Hull KR and sit second in the table behind an unbeaten Wigan. The Rhinos have combined a sturdy defence — most notably keeping St Helens scoreless last month — with an increasingly potent attack, including a 22-6 victory at Victoria Park when Seth Marchant scored twice.
"kick off 7pm"
Wakefield’s Academy campaign under new head coach Kieron Purtill has been mixed. Trinity began strongly with four wins against Hull FC, Bradford, Leigh and Huddersfield by early May, but a subsequent run of defeats has left them outside the top four and desperate for points. The side arrive having lost five matches on the bounce, and this week’s game is their final fixture of the regular season — making a result at Stanningley imperative.
Historically this fixture has favoured the Rhinos. Leeds ran up a 12-try haul against Wakefield at AMT Headingley last year, and a more recent meeting at Stanningley in 2024 saw George Brown score four tries as the Rhinos won 62-12. That recent record will be fresh in Trinity’s minds as they seek to reverse the trend and rediscover the form that produced their early-season victories.
- Leeds Rhinos Academy — currently second in the table, unbeaten Wigan sit above them
- Wakefield Trinity Academy — outside top four after a five-game losing run
- This is Trinity’s final regular-season fixture; results will determine qualification scenarios
The match also serves as a barometer for both academies’ development programmes. For Leeds, maintaining momentum can consolidate a place among the finalists. For Wakefield, the contest offers a chance to halt a damaging sequence of defeats and provide a late-season morale boost ahead of the play-off phase.
| Team | Context |
|---|---|
| Leeds Rhinos Academy | Second in table; strong recent performances including defensive shutout of St Helens |
| Wakefield Trinity Academy | Season of two halves; early four wins then five straight defeats; outside top four |
Supporters of both clubs will be watching closely. For Wakefield young players and their coaches the outcome has immediate consequences: a win could lift morale and leave the door ajar for finals qualification depending on other results; a defeat would confirm the direction of a patchy season and place more emphasis on rebuilding ahead of 2026.
Coverage of the game and post-match reaction will follow. In the meantime, the Academy contest at Stanningley represents one of the final opportunities this season for Wakefield’s youngsters to stake a claim on the bigger stage.
