Wigan Warriors crowned Super League champions after downing Dragons
Wigan Warriors produced an accomplished display to secure their sixth Super League title and first in five years at the expense of Catalans Dragons, whose attempt to win the competition for the first time ultimately ended in heartbreak at Old Trafford.
Matt Peet’s side, arguably the standout team in Super League this season, held their nerve in the biggest game of the season and delivered when it mattered most. The two sides traded blows throughout a tense opening 40 minutes, after which the teams were level at half-time. But thereafter, Wigan were much the stronger of the two sides, with Liam Marshall’s try, the only one of the Grand Final, proving significant.
Catalans’ wait for an historic first league title will continue for at least another season, as Sam Tomkins’ rugby league career ended with a defeat against his boyhood club. The Dragons had two players sin-binned on the night and the amount of defending they had to do for prolonged periods ultimately meant they were jaded in attack. The result also means Super League is still waiting for a new first-time winner since 2004, with the Dragons missing out on the chance to become the fifth different champion in the competition’s history.
As is often the case in major finals, the early exchanges were tense. Neither side were able to discover any sort of rhythm, meaning that defences were on top and both attacks looked somewhat stifled. The biggest threat in the opening quarter came from Catalans half-back Tyrone May, epitomised by his break on halfway which had the Wigan defence scrambling.
May’s kick for Tom Johnstone was too deep though, with Jai Field ushering the ball to safety just as Johnstone looked to set to touch down. That early scare settled the Warriors and as the half-hour mark approached, they began to look the better of the two sides before a pivotal moment in the contest arrived.
Adam Keighran’s tackle on Kai Pearce-Paul was adjudged to be dangerous, with referee Liam Moore sending Keighran – who will play for Wigan in 2024 – to the sin-bin, making the centre only the second player in Grand Final history to receive a yellow card. Wigan almost took immediate advantage as Liam Farrell came close to touching down but two minutes later, the Warriors did open the scoring.
Manu Ma’u caught Marshall high and from the resulting penalty, Harry Smith kicked Wigan into a 2-0 lead from the tee. Catalans held firm without Keighran though after that and when he returned to the field, the Dragons’ nerves began to settle once again.
Then, three minutes from the break, they drew level. A Wigan error handed Catalans possession deep into opposition territory and after the Warriors were penalised for being offside, Keighran levelled the scores with the penalty to make it 2-2 at the break. The stakes were high, and the tension was arguably even higher at the interval, with neither side able to break through the other and score the final’s first try.
But Wigan returned from the half-time break with the greater purpose. Three minutes after the restart they broke from deep with Jake Wardle and while he was brought to ground, Tom Davies pulled the supporting Marshall back, leaving Moore with no option but to send a second Catalans player to the sin-bin. This time, they wouldn’t survive the ten minutes without conceding a try.
Field and Bevan French combined to send the latter across before the final pass was adjudged to be forward but three minutes later, Wardle broke again and this time, Wigan held their nerve to send Marshall across to score the first try. Smith converted and for the first time on the night there was clear daylight between the sides, with the Warriors leading by six.
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Davies returned from the sin-bin but the momentum remained with Wigan. They were now asking questions of Catalans on a regular basis and the Dragons, who were taken to the limit against St Helens in last week’s semi-final, were beginning to tire. They hung on until just after the hour mark when another high shot, this time from Keighran, afforded Smith the chance to open up a two-score lead and make it 10-2.
By that point, the amount of defensive work Catalans had endured with a quarter of the game a man down was looking painfully obvious. While they continued to defend resolutely their attack lacked any sort of spark, meaning the Warriors were able to hold the Dragons off with relative ease and, in truth, ensure there would be no late drama.