Super League Grand Final: St Helens v Wigan Warriors

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St Helens bring in Matty Dawson for Gary Wheeler as they face Wigan looking to win a first Grand Final since 2006.

 

It will be Nathan Brown's final game in charge of Saints after confirming he will return to Australia at the end of the season for family reasons.

 

 

Wane predicts intense Grand Final

Champions Wigan have hooker Michael McIlorum in the squad after he recovered from a facial injury.

Coach Shaun Wane has kept faith with the squad that came through their semi-final victory over Warrington Wolves.

The Warriors are looking to defend the title they won against the Wire at Old Trafford a year ago.

"It means a lot to me because I'm a Manchester United fan as well," said Wane.

"This is why we've done what we've done from November last year. I drive the players hard, I drive my staff hard and everything's about this game.

"Any game against St Helens in Super League is intense and the desire from my club is crucial.

"To play them in a stadium like this and in a game like this is going to be unbelievably intense."

 

 

Brown unconcerned by Saints record

Saints are appearing in their 10th Grand Final but have lost on their last five visits to Old Trafford, their last victory in the showpiece coming in 2006 when they beat Hull FC 26-4.

And they are underdogs going into the game, despite winning the League Leaders' Shield,their first piece of silverware since 2008.

"From our point of view, there is very little pressure on us," added Brown.

"There won't be a person outside of our dressing shed that thinks we have a chance. That's the reality of it.

"But do we want it as much as Wigan? I'm sure we do. And are we going to give ourselves a good shot? I'm sure we will."

Both sides won one of the league meetings between the clubs this season. Wigan ran out 33-14 victors at Langtree Park on Good Friday, while Saints triumphed 16-12 in the return on Warriors soil in June.

St Helens (from): Makinson, Turner, Jones, Swift, Hohaia, Masoe, Roby, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Soliola, Manu, Laffranchi, Flanagan, Amor, Wellens, Walmsley, Percival, Dawson, Richards, Thompson.

Wigan Warriors (from): Bateman, Bowen, Burgess, Charnley, Clubb, Crosby, Farrell, Flower, Gelling, Green, Hughes, McIlorum, O'Loughlin, Pettybourne, Powell, Sarginson, Smith, Taylor, Tomkins.

 

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