Three former One New Zealand Warriors will chase historic Super League grand final glory for Wakefield Trinity this weekend with their ex-clubmate and soon-to-be new teammate Roger Tuivasa-Sheck taking a special interest in the outcome.
The legendary 33-year-old Tuivasa-Sheck (Warrior #203) will join the Wildcats on a two-year deal next season after ending his NRL career with 242 appearances – 148 for the Warriors – across 13 campaigns since 2013.
In a remarkable campaign the Wildcats have reached the season finale for the first time since the Super League was introduced in 1998. Not since the 1960s has the club savoured top-level success.
They’ll meet the Warrington Wolves at the famed Old Trafford on Sunday morning (6.00am NZT) in a contest which will produce a new champion. Only five clubs have won the title – Wigan, St Helens, Bradford, Leeds and Hull Kingston Rovers – while the Wolves have lost all four deciders they’ve played in.
Helping Wakefield reach the big dance have been ex-Warriors Jazz Tevaga, Mason Lino and Isaiah Vagana.
In his first season with Trinity after 162 games in the NRL, Warrior #209 loose forward Tevaga (31) has played 21 times while Warrior #202 Lino (32) has appeared in only nine games in an injury-disrupted season. Joining the Wildcats in 2001, Lino is in the grand final squad for what would be his final match before joining Castleford next year.
Tevaga finished with 138 appearances for the Warriors from 2016-2024 while Lino played 17 times from 2015-2018 before making 17 appearances for the Newcastle Knights in 2019 and 2020.
Tevaga and Lino have been teammates 63 times at senior level including Test matches, the NRL, New South Wales Cup and Super League.
The last time they played in a final together was when they helped the One New Zealand Warriors win the NYC under-20 premiership in 2014.
Vagana (25), whose father Joe is Warrior #18, came through the Warriors’ pathways system playing a total of 25 New South Wales games in 2020 and 2023 before joining Wakefield. He has played 21 Super League games this season and a total of 63 games for the Wildcats since 2024.
Tevaga, Lino and Vagana helped Wakefield to the Super League grand final with wins over Leigh 26-16 and a stunning 33-6 win over the highly-favoured Wigan Warriors last weekend.
Warrington reached the final by beating last year’s winners Hull Kingston Rovers 35-12 and then the Leeds Rhinos 14-12.
Three other New Zealand players are in Wakefield’s 21-man squad – Auckland-born forwards Caleb Hamlin-Uele and Tray Lolesio and Christchurch-born prop Caius Faatili.
Warrington has ex-Warriors front rower Toafofoa Sipley in its 2026 squad but he is sidelined with injury.
Live coverage of the Super League grand final is available in New Zealand through Pacific Media Network’s recently-launched PMN Play platform. The cost to subscribe is $9.99.
Go to https://pmnplay.co.nz/home to subscribe.
- Monty Betham, Ali Lauititti, Tony Martin, Isaac John and Aaron Whittaker are among former Warriors who have played for Wakefield along with rugby league legends Mark Graham, James Leuluai and Wally Lewis.
