It is hard to believe that five seasons ago when I attended my first Grand Final to watch Wigan triumph over St Helens in 2010, that it would take another four years until the fierce rivals faced off at Old Trafford again.
However, two superb season runs from the Saints and the Warriors have seen them both defy lengthy injury lists and media put-downs to secure a place in tonight's season-ending showpiece at the Theatre of Dreams. A name very apt for some of the players who will take to the field tonight namely the rookie Wigan winger Joe Burgess who is set to record one of the best ever debut seasons in Super League.
Unlucky to miss out on the shortlist for the Young Player of the Year award, the pacy winger has played and scored in the World Club Challenge, Super League, Challenge Cup and the U19s Academy and will be odds on to repeat the feat in tonight's Grand Final. Wigan will also look to power forward with Burgess' fellow winger Josh Charnley who after a stunning 2013, stuttered early in 2014 before a superb scoring spree in the back end of the season.
Speaking of wingers, St Helens also have duo of a young pacy try scorers who could become heroes tonight in the form of Tommy Makinson who has set the league alight with his unique scoring technique of a dive and single-handed touchdown and Adam Swift whose dashing runs have saw him rip through several Super League defences in devastating style.
Given their recent form, Wigan are firm favourites to retain their title as they come into the match on the back of four consecutive wins all against sides in the top five with victories over Leeds and Huddersfield coupled with a double triumph over last season's Grand Final opponents Warrington which saw a last-gasp Joe Burgess try seal a 16-12 win in last Friday's qualifying semi final.
St Helens despite claiming the League Leaders Shield go into tonight's final in mixed form with three wins from their last five games with defeats to Warrington and Huddersfield ending their regular season before they bounced back with play-off wins over Castleford and Catalans with the Saints securing their place at Old Trafford with a 30-12 triumph over the Dragons.
Aside from the wing quarter mentioned above the ones to watch for each side cannot go much further than opposing hooker's James Roby and Michael McIlorum both of whom have the passion of the sides fierce rivalry pumping in their blood. Roby was unlucky to miss out on the inaugural Steve Prescott Man of Steel award and would not have been undeserving had he claimed the accolade as he has carried St Helens through good and bad for a long time and especially important this season and could be a good tip to secure the Harry Sunderland trophy for man of the match tonight.
Micheal McIlorum despite not always standing out from the crowd has also been influential this season as after suffering a broken arm in the summer, he bounced back and fired Wigan through a thunderous run of tough games which ended with him coming out battered an bruised last Friday after the win over Warrington. McIlorum's passion and 'hatred' for St Helens has been plain to see in recent years with two notable sendings off against the Saints coming in the 2011 Magic Weekend brawl and a disappointing dismissal in the final regular season game of 2012 at the DW Stadium but his passion could be a huge factor in sealing the title for the Warriors.
Should the game be a close one the kicking skills of former Saints but current Warriors halfback Matty Smith and Saints centre Mark Percival could be vital with the former kicking 96 goals this season but sadly missing 42. Due to the injury to first and second choice kickers Luke Walsh and Jonny Lomax, Mark Percival has deputised well with 34 goals with only 11 missed so both will have to shrug off the negative kicks in order to fire their respective teams to victory.
St Helens: Makinson, Turner, Jones, Swift, Hohaia, Masoe, Roby, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Soliola, Manu, Laffranchi, Flanagan, Amor, Wellens, Walmsley, Percival, Dawson, Richards, Thompson.
Wigan Warriors: Bateman, Bowen, Burgess, Charnley, Clubb, Crosby, L. Farrell, Flower, Gelling, Green, Hughes, McIlorum, O'Loughlin, Pettybourne, Powell, Sarginson, Smith, Taylor, Tomkins.
Although this is my final preview of the season and I usually make an impartial decision on the result this one has to come from the heart and I tip the Warriors to secure back to back titles so St Helens 18 Wigan 30.
However, two superb season runs from the Saints and the Warriors have seen them both defy lengthy injury lists and media put-downs to secure a place in tonight's season-ending showpiece at the Theatre of Dreams. A name very apt for some of the players who will take to the field tonight namely the rookie Wigan winger Joe Burgess who is set to record one of the best ever debut seasons in Super League.
Unlucky to miss out on the shortlist for the Young Player of the Year award, the pacy winger has played and scored in the World Club Challenge, Super League, Challenge Cup and the U19s Academy and will be odds on to repeat the feat in tonight's Grand Final. Wigan will also look to power forward with Burgess' fellow winger Josh Charnley who after a stunning 2013, stuttered early in 2014 before a superb scoring spree in the back end of the season.
Speaking of wingers, St Helens also have duo of a young pacy try scorers who could become heroes tonight in the form of Tommy Makinson who has set the league alight with his unique scoring technique of a dive and single-handed touchdown and Adam Swift whose dashing runs have saw him rip through several Super League defences in devastating style.
Given their recent form, Wigan are firm favourites to retain their title as they come into the match on the back of four consecutive wins all against sides in the top five with victories over Leeds and Huddersfield coupled with a double triumph over last season's Grand Final opponents Warrington which saw a last-gasp Joe Burgess try seal a 16-12 win in last Friday's qualifying semi final.
St Helens despite claiming the League Leaders Shield go into tonight's final in mixed form with three wins from their last five games with defeats to Warrington and Huddersfield ending their regular season before they bounced back with play-off wins over Castleford and Catalans with the Saints securing their place at Old Trafford with a 30-12 triumph over the Dragons.
Aside from the wing quarter mentioned above the ones to watch for each side cannot go much further than opposing hooker's James Roby and Michael McIlorum both of whom have the passion of the sides fierce rivalry pumping in their blood. Roby was unlucky to miss out on the inaugural Steve Prescott Man of Steel award and would not have been undeserving had he claimed the accolade as he has carried St Helens through good and bad for a long time and especially important this season and could be a good tip to secure the Harry Sunderland trophy for man of the match tonight.
Micheal McIlorum despite not always standing out from the crowd has also been influential this season as after suffering a broken arm in the summer, he bounced back and fired Wigan through a thunderous run of tough games which ended with him coming out battered an bruised last Friday after the win over Warrington. McIlorum's passion and 'hatred' for St Helens has been plain to see in recent years with two notable sendings off against the Saints coming in the 2011 Magic Weekend brawl and a disappointing dismissal in the final regular season game of 2012 at the DW Stadium but his passion could be a huge factor in sealing the title for the Warriors.
Should the game be a close one the kicking skills of former Saints but current Warriors halfback Matty Smith and Saints centre Mark Percival could be vital with the former kicking 96 goals this season but sadly missing 42. Due to the injury to first and second choice kickers Luke Walsh and Jonny Lomax, Mark Percival has deputised well with 34 goals with only 11 missed so both will have to shrug off the negative kicks in order to fire their respective teams to victory.
St Helens: Makinson, Turner, Jones, Swift, Hohaia, Masoe, Roby, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Soliola, Manu, Laffranchi, Flanagan, Amor, Wellens, Walmsley, Percival, Dawson, Richards, Thompson.
Wigan Warriors: Bateman, Bowen, Burgess, Charnley, Clubb, Crosby, L. Farrell, Flower, Gelling, Green, Hughes, McIlorum, O'Loughlin, Pettybourne, Powell, Sarginson, Smith, Taylor, Tomkins.
Although this is my final preview of the season and I usually make an impartial decision on the result this one has to come from the heart and I tip the Warriors to secure back to back titles so St Helens 18 Wigan 30.
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