Betfred Super League
Wakefield (6) 10
Tries: Storton, Johnstone Goals: Jowitt
Wigan (20) 48
Tries: Farrell 2, Hodkinson 4, Partington, Wardle, Eckersley Goals: Keighran 6
Noah Hodkinson continued his red-hot form with four tries as Wigan Warriors delivered a masterclass to thump Wakefield Trinity 48-10 and go fourth in the Super League table.
The 20-year-old winger made it nine tries in six games with a standout display for Matt Peet’s side on a night when everything went right.
In addition to Hodkinson’s dazzling finishing, Wigan were at their irresistible best all over the field with Jai Field, Brad O’Neill, Adam Keighran, Junior Nsemba and Jack Farrimond impressing.
As well as Hodkinson’s second hat-trick of the season, there were tries for Ollie Partington, Jake Wardle and Zach Eckersley and six conversions from nine for Keighran.
There was also a 150th try in Wigan colours for Liam Farrell, who went over twice, and another 25-minute cameo for Bevan French as he continued to ease back from three months out injured.
Just two weeks after Wigan routed Hull KR in the Challenge Cup final at Wembley, here was another display to be closely watched by the rest of Super League.
As the halfway mark of the season is reached, no team is in warmer form than the Cherry and Whites.
They registered this win against a side unbeaten at home in five, sitting in third before kick-off, and fresh from a win over Hull KR last weekend.
Trinity coach Daryl Powell might point to the fact that they were missing key players, including Mason Lino (calf) and Corey Hall (shoulder), both of whom could be missing for up to six weeks, and the suspended Jazz Tevaga.
Even so, his previously in-form side had no answers to the questions posed by the visitors, and they dropped to fifth after their fifth league defeat of the season.
If the more youthful Hodkinson took the honours, it was veteran Farrell who got the ball rolling as he finished off a brilliant move by the visitors five minutes into the match after Eckersley and Keighran combined to keep the ball alive hard up against the sideline.
It was a 150th try for Farrell on his 426th appearance.
Wakefield initially responded when Matty Storton barged his way over from five metres out, but from then on until Tom Johnstone’s consolation try with 15 minutes to go, it was one-way traffic.
Dotted in between Hodkinson’s four were tries from Partington, Wardle and Eckersley, with Farrell adding another three minutes from time to ensure Wigan finished on the front foot.
Wakefield Trinity coach Daryl Powell told BBC Radio Leeds:
“Wigan were awesome from start to finish. It was too slow from us and a really poor performance. We have to learn lessons and move on.
“They completely dominated the game and they’ve been playing that way for a few weeks now. They continued in that vein of form and we didn’t do that much to stop it.
“We have been beaten in every facet of the game. We have to move on, but everything I’ve got to say I will say to the players during the week. I’m not going to make it public.
“But we have to learn some harsh lessons from what Wigan did to us today.
“We’ve been beaten by a team who are red hot at the moment. Teams are struggling with them. Everywhere they all played well and just when things are going well they bring Bevan French off the bench.”
Wigan Warriors coach Matt Peet said:
“It was important we got the foundations in place and after that we were more or less able to express ourselves.
“In games like this, if you don’t get the start right and the crowd are up for it, it could be a different night. Some of our tries looked pretty and flamboyant but it was built on getting that stuff right.
“With Bevan French it’s about building him back up and bringing him into the team at the right times, but it’s important we continue to utilise the rest of our squad as well.
“But that has probably added a layer to what he did a couple of weeks ago.”
Wakefield: Jowitt; Johnstone, Nikotemo, Scott, Myers; Trueman, Sinfield; McMeeken, Smoothy, Rodwell, Storton, Vagana, Pitts.
Interchanges: Hamlin-Uele, Faatili, Lolesio, Tate.
Wigan: Field; Eckersley, Keighran, Wardle, Hodkinson; Farrimond, Smith; Havard, O’Neill, Thompson, Nsemba, Farrell, Partington.
Interchanges: French, Ellis, Mago, Eseh.
Referee: Marcus Griffiths.
