Shaun Wane declared Wigan’s Grand Final victory against Warrington the biggest triumph in the club’s history after they became Super League champions for the first time in three years with a 12-6 win.
Wigan battled back from a four-point half-time deficit to see off the Wolves and win at Old Trafford for the fourth time in Super League – with this their first triumph since the 2013 success, also against Warrington.
Wane had publicly stated in the buildup to the game that with their extensive injury problems this year, victory would immediately rank as Wigan’s greatest – and the coach refused to change his opinion post-match after a thrilling Grand Final. “I don’t tell lies,” Wane said. “I’ve been here for 30 years as a player and a coach I can’t remember a better win than that. People don’t know the half of it; the lads know what has gone on with injuries and without a doubt it’s the best win we’ve ever had.
“I could go into loads of detail about people not training on a daily basis. People have been running for the first time on game day on occasions. We had no right to win that game.”
Wane made a late gamble on the fitness of the Wigan captain, Sean O’Loughlin, in the hours before the game – but he insisted that he was never going to leave out the influential forward despite a calf problem. “I was always going to pick him,” he said. “He’s my captain, my mate and my leader.”
Liam Farrell was the recipient of the Harry Sunderland Trophy after being named man of the match and the forward echoed Wane’s comments about the magnitude of success. “To do what we’ve done is unbelievable,” Farrell said.
“It’s been a strange year with injuries but I can’t put this into words, it’s surreal. Things have been so bad with injuries but to not only win and get the man of the match is something I never gave any thought about. It’s something I’ll remember for the rest of my career and the rest of my life.”
