Former NRL luminaries Kevin Naiqama and Lachlan Coote have said the perfect farewell to St Helens, helping guide the Super League champions to a third straight crown with a thrilling grand final win over Catalans Dragons.
Former Wests Tigers star Naiqama was voted the player of the match on Saturday after he scored the Saints' two tries in a gripping 12-10 triumph at Old Trafford.
Australian Coote, a cult figure at St Helens who like Naiqama will now be leaving the club, was superb in defence and contributed two goals as he also made it a hat-trick of titles.
It was also a magnificent night for Kristian Woolf, Saints' Australian coach who has led them to the 'threepeat' - the first time the feat has been achieved since the Leeds Rhinos in 2007, 2008 and 2009.
For Fijian captain Naiqama, it was an emotional affair as he's now going to head off back to Australia after three years in the Super League.
He's admitted that difficulties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and, in particular, having to witness the birth of his first child on FaceTime had led to his decision to return home.
Yet the 32-year-old made all the difference in a dogfight of a grand final, striking crucially in each half in front of 45,177 fans in Manchester's 'theatre of dreams'.
Mike McMeeken did touch down for Catalans in the second half after some brilliant work by Australian Josh Drinkwater to put the French side ahead.
Yet centre Naiqama, who had scored a superb individual effort in the 12th minute, followed up with the decisive poacher's strike, latching on to Jonny Lomax's grubber kick on 65 minutes..
Coote, who's joining Hull KR in the Super League next season, kicked the conversion to complete the scoring.
Naiqama was left choked with emotion as he received the Harry Sunderland Trophy as man of the match from previous winner Rob Burrow, the Leeds legend who's battling motor neurone disease.
For Australia's Catalans' star Jimmy Maloney, though, it was an unhappy way to finish his distinguished top-level career.
Defeat meant it was scant consolation for the 35-year-old NRL grand final winner, who kicked three goals, to become the oldest scorer ever in the Super League final.
His Perpignan-based team had been dreaming of becoming the first French side to lift the biggest prize in European rugby league and 1,000 Catalans fans had travelled over - but they were completely outnumbered by Saints' supporters.
Not even a message of support from soccer legend Eric Cantona could help the Dragons as Woolf's side completed their league and Challenge Cup double following their Wembley victory in July.
