Super League Grand Final: Hull KR crowned champions after thrashing Wigan Warriors
Hull KR became the first new name on the Super League trophy since Leeds Rhinos in 2004 when they hammered Wigan Warriors 24-6 in Saturday’s Grand Final.
The final scoreline reflected the Robins’ dominance as they ended Wigan’s two-year reign and completed the domestic treble after winning the Betfred Challenge Cup and league leaders’ shield earlier in the season. Stand-off Mikey Lewis collected the Rob Burrow award as man of the match in front of a crowd of 68,853, the best at Old Trafford since 2017.
Danny Ward, a member of Leeds’ title-winning team 21 years ago, helped mastermind the success, as an assistant to coach Willie Peters. The Robins were captained by Elliot MInchella and another ex-Rhino, Rhyse Martin, came off the bench to kick three goals.
Peters described Rovers’ first Super League title triumph as “a bit of history” and stated: “It’s something we’ve wanted to do; a lot of people have worked hard to get us into this position.”
Of Lewis, who scored the opening try and created another, the coach enthused:” He owned that first half. He does cop a lot but it shows the top player he is and we’ve got. He was ready for that and he stood up – I’m so proud of him.”
Leeds-born Michael McIlorum returned from injury to start the final game of his career and Peters revealed he played with a fractured ankle, adding: “He is literally the toughest I have ever seen.”
Wigan, whose side included former Leeds teammates Sam Walters and Kruise Leeming, were poor, making a series of errors throughout. They could have been 12-0 up, but found themselves 10-0 down inside half an hour.
Liam Farrell dropped the ball with the line at his mercy and Bevan French knocked-on trying to touch down from Liam Marshall’s kick. Referee Liam Moore’s on-field decision of try was overturned by video official Jack Smith.
The game swung on an incident in the 17th minute when Wigan hooker Brad O’Neill was sin-binned for a dangerous tackle on Tyrone May. The Robins scored twice against 12 man, with Lewis weaving over for a superb solo effort in the set from the penalty, which Arthur Mourgue converted, then Joe Burgess diving over at the corner.
Adam Keighran cut the gap with a penalty after the half-time hooter and Jai Field set up a try for Harry Smith early in the second period. At that stage the game was in the balance, but Martin settled Hull KR’s nerves with a penalty goal before Jez Litten crossed. Two minutes from time Smith’s pass was intercepted by Burgess for the Robins’ fourth try and Martin’s conversion completed the scoring.
Wigan coach Matt Peet was sporting in defeat. He said: “There’ll be things we look back on and wish we’d done differently, done better; at certain points we didn’t do what we’d have loved to have done, but you’ve got to credit Hull KR for their energy.
“I am proud of the group, but it wasn’t to be this evening. They took their opportunities better than we did. It’s a fine line between winning and losing on these evenings. I think across the 80 minutes we weren’t quite where we needed to be. Hull KR were good and they deserved it.”
Hull KR: Morgue, Davies, Hiku, Gildart, Burgess, Lewis, May, Sue, McIlorum, Waerea-Hargreaves, Hadley, Batchelor, Minchella. Subs Litten, Luckley, Whitbread, Martin.
Wigan Warriors: Field, Miski, Keighran, Wardle, Marshall, French, Smith, Byrne, O’Neill, Thompson, Walters, Farrell, Ellis. Subs Havard, Nsemba, Mago, Leeming.
Referee: Liam Moore (Wigan). Attendance: 68,853.