Where Are They Now? The last Wakefield Trinity squad to reach Challenge Cup semi-finals

Wakefield Trinity take on Leigh Leopards on Friday evening looking to reach the Challenge Cup semi-finals for the first time in almost a decade.

You have to go back to 2016 to find the last time Trinity reached the last four of the cup. It’s that long ago, they still had the Wildcats moniker and the current Leigh head of recruitment, Chris Chester, was their coach.

That day, they were heavily beaten by Warrington Wolves at the Leigh Sports Village: another quirk of fate.

But the squad that would go on to finish fifth in back-to-back seasons were ravaged by injuries, meaning Chester had to bring in a number of fringe players.

Here’s the Trinity 17 from that day: with some still at the club nine years on!

Max Jowitt

Our first man is the player who played fullback that day: and has since gone on to become a stalwart of Wakefield Trinity.

Jowitt has remained with his hometown club ever since breaking through as a promising youngster: and while he won’t be available this Friday, he’s certainly established an early reputation as a fullback on the up.

Ben Jones-Bishop

Jones-Bishop has had a well-travelled career – but he had five very successful years with Trinity, playing a key role in their success under Chester.

He left in 2020 and has since had spells with York and Sheffield – returning to the Knights midway through this year at the ripe old age of 36!

Reece Lyne

Lyne spent a decade with Trinity between 2013 and 2023, establishing himself as one of the finest centres in Super League.

His form earned him two England caps in 2018 and 2021 too – and at the end of the 2023 campaign, when Wakefield were relegated, he would head into the Championship with Doncaster. He remains there to this day.

Joe Arundel

Arundel is another player who has gone on to continue his career in the Championship. He left Wakefield at the end of 2021 to join Halifax, before two seasons with Bradford.

He now plays for Batley Bulldogs.

Craig Hall

The 37-year-old has had a long career at the highest level, and after leaving Wakefield at the end of 2017, he would go on to play for a number of clubs.

Spells with Toronto, Leigh and Hull KR followed before four seasons at Featherstone. Then at the beginning of last year, Hall joined Doncaster.

Jacob Miller

Miller was undoubtedly one of the best half-backs in Super League during Wakefield’s emergence as a brilliant side under Chester. His form attracted the attention of multiple big clubs.

However, he remained with Trinity until the end of 2022: when he then made the switch across West Yorkshire. He joined Castleford for two seasons before returning to Australia at the end of last year.

Liam Finn

Miller and Finn formed a hugely effective pairing during Wakefield’s best years, and the scrum-half would ultimately leave Belle Vue at the end of 2018.

He joined Newcastle before a spell with Dewsbury – which led to his transition into coaching. He guided the Rams to the League One title before joining Halifax in 2024. He is now assistant coach at Huddersfield.

Nick Scruton

The prop sent three seasons with Wakefield between 2014 and 2016, helping keep them in Super League in the 2015 Million Pound Game.

He would leave at the end of 2016 to join Hull KR, where he spent three more seasons before retiring. He is now an active police officer!

Scott Moore

Moore was infamously part of the swap deal that sent Paul McShane to Castleford, with the hooker going the other way and signing for Trinity. He scored the decisive try in their Million Pound Game win over Bradford, too.

Moore left Wakefield at the end of 2017 to join the Bulls, before spells with Rochdale and Swinton.

David Fifita

The Big Bopper will go down as one of Wakefield’s greatest ever overseas players. In his first stint at Trinity, he became one of Super League’s most exciting forwards – and was often the subject of transfer speculation.

He then answered an SOS from the club midway through 2023, when they were struggling at the foot of the table, signing for Wakefield once again. He couldn’t keep them up, but he remains a Trinity icon. He’s now back home in Australia.

Jason Walton

Walton spent a solitary season with Wakefield in 2016, before joining Featherstone Rovers for three years between 2017 and 2019. A spell with Dewsbury followed before retiring in 2022.

Anthony Tupou

Tupou played almost 250 games in the NRL for Sydney Roosters and Cronulla Sharks before joining Wakefield in 2016.

It was a major coup, but he would spend just one year with Trinity before returning to Australia to sign for Newcastle Knights. He then retired.

Michael Sio

Samoan international Samoa spent his career in the Queensland Cup before Trinity came calling in the summer of 2015. He joined from Mackay Cutters, and would remain with the club until the end of the 2017 campaign.

Sio returned Down Under to sign for Norths Devils, helping them win silverware before a stint with New Zealand Warriors – where he was limited to action for their reserves side. He’s now an electrical apprentice in Queensland!

Jordan Crowther (Interchange)

Crowther was one of several homegrown stars to come through the Wakefield academy and enjoy success.

He’s now with Warrington Wolves, having made the switch across the Pennines – where he’s a key member of Sam Burgess’ squad.

Danny Kirmond (Interchange)

Trinity icon Kirmond arguably shouldn’t have played on this day – but due to a huge number of injuries in the Wakefield squad, he put his hand up and played while injured himself.

Kirmond was with Wakefield from 2012 to 2020 – and he then spent three years in the Championship with York before hanging up his boots. He’s now back at Trinity as a member of the club’s coaching staff!

Tinirau Arona (Interchange)

Another icon of Wakefield’s success under Chester, Arona spent seven seasons with Trinity from 2016 to 2022.

He retired after representing Cook Islands at the end of the World Cup that year.

Andy Yates (Interchange)

Yates was a stalwart in the Championship with Hunslet before stepping up to Super League in 2015 with Leeds.

He then made the switch to Wakefield midway through that year, remaining with the club until the end of 2016. His professinoal career then came to an end: and Yates is now a personal trainer.