Thursday, October 18

Super League

 

5 talking points ahead of Grand Final between Warrington and Wigan

The 21st edition of the match takes place at Old Trafford on Saturday.

Warrington are aiming to make history by winning the Super League title for the first time when face Wigan on Saturday.

Press Association Sport examines the talking points surrounding the 21st Grand Final at Old Trafford.

End of an era for Wigan

Wigan coach Shaun Wane is one of a number of men who will be leaving the Warriors following the Grand Final (Dave Howarth/PA)

Emotions are sure to be running high in the Wigan camp at the final whistle, which will herald the departure of Shaun Wane, who has spent more than 30 years at the club as player, scout and coach. With highly-rated backroom staff Mark Bitcon and Matty Peet also moving on, along with Sam Tomkins, John Bateman and Ryan Sutton, the Warriors will have plenty of extra motivation to send them out on a high.

Warrington's chance to join the big four

Wigan beat Warrington in the 2016 Grand Final to lift the trophy for a fourth time (Martin Rickett/PA)

Since rugby league made the momentous decision to switch to summer in 1995, there have only been four different champions. St Helens and Bradford finished top in the first two years when the title was decided by a first-past-the-post method,  and since then only Leeds and Wigan have joined them as Super League champions. Hull, Castleford and Warrington have all reached the Grand Final since its inception in 1998 but without success.

Warrington seek to end a 63-year-wait

The average house price was £1,900, Ian Botham was born in this year and Winston Churchill was Prime Minister. In sport, Stirling Moss became the first English winner of the British Grand Prix at Aintree Motor Racing Circuit and Warrington were crowned rugby league champions for 1955, courtesy of a 7-3 Championship Final win over Oldham at Maine Road, Manchester.

Steve Price is in his first season in Super League but he has history against Wigan

Warrington coach Steve Price was in temporary charge of St George Illawarra when they beat Wigan in the 2011 World Club Challenge at the DW Stadium (Andrew Matthews/PA)

The 40-year-old Price is aiming to match the achievement of fellow Australian Michael Maguire, who guided Wigan to the title in his first season as a Super League head coach. It is Price's first year with Warrington but he has already got one over Wigan, having guided St George Illawarra to victory over Maguire's team in the 2011 World Club Challenge at the DW Stadium. He was assistant coach at the time but stepped into the breach when head coach Wayne Bennett had to fly back to Australia to attend to a personal matter.

Magnifique year for the French

France international Morgan Escare could make Grand Final history this weekend (Richard Sellers/PA)

Wigan full-back Morgan Escare and prop forward Romain Navarrete are set to become the first French players to feature in a Super League Grand Final and victory would cap a momentous year for France following Catalans Dragons' historic Challenge Cup final victory over Warrington and Toulouse's superb performance in the Super 8s Qualifiers.

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Select and display your favourite team's news and scores in this panel
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TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Manchester CityMan City86202131820
2Chelsea86201851320
3Liverpool86201531220
4Arsenal86021910918
5Tottenham HotspurSpurs8602157818
6Bournemouth85121612416
7Wolverhampton WanderersWolves843196315
8Manchester UnitedMan Utd84131314-113
9Watford84131112-113
10Leicester CityLeicester84041412212
11Everton83321312112
12Burnley82241012-28
13Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton8224913-48
14Crystal Palace821559-47
15West Ham UnitedWest Ham8215813-57
16Southampton8125614-85
17Fulham8125921-125
18Huddersfield TownHuddersfield8035417-133
19Newcastle UnitedNewcastle8026613-72
20Cardiff CityCardiff8026417-132
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