The Super League Grand Final takes place at Old Trafford on Saturday, October 14 with Wigan Warriors and Catalans Dragons battling it out to be crowned champions. Have a look at all the relevant facts and statistics surrounding the two teams ahead of the Super League Grand Final.
READ MORE: Check out our Super League Grand Final preview
BETFRED SUPER LEAGUE GRAND FINAL
WIGAN WARRIORS v CATALANS DRAGONS
(at Old Trafford, Manchester)
Wigan Warriors and Catalans Dragons meet in a final for the first time on Saturday.
With defeat, Wigan would extend their own unwanted record of losses in Super League Grand Finals to seven (Previous six: 2000, 2001, 2003, 2014, 2015, 2020).
Wigan’s LIAM FARRELL and SAM POWELL have previously played in Grand Finals as teammates with four Catalans players.
Farrell played alongside MICHAEL McILORUM (2010, 2013, 2015), SAM TOMKINS (2010, 2013, 2018), TOM DAVIES (2018) and ROMAIN NAVARRETE (2018).
Powell played alongside McIlorum in 2015 and Davies, Navarrete and Tomkins in 2018.
IAIN THORNLEY also featured with McIlorum and Tomkins in 2013.
Wigan’s TOBY KING has featured in two previous Grand Finals, both against the Warriors. King was on the losing side for Warrington in 2016 and 2018.
As substitute in the Wolves’ 12-6 defeat in 2016, King faced current teammates SAM POWELL, LIAM FARRELL and WILLIE ISA, who all started the game for Wigan.
Catalans Dragons trio TYRONE MAY, MITCHELL PEARCE and SIO SIUA TAUKEIAHO have the chance to join the ranks of players to have won Grand Finals on both sides of the world.
May was a substitute in the Penrith Panthers side that defeated South Sydney Rabbitohs 14-12 in 2021.
Pearce was scrum half in Sydney Roosters’ 26-18 win against Manly Sea Eagles in 2013.
Taukeiaho started at prop for Sydney Roosters in a 21-6 triumph against Melbourne Storm in 2018, and was on the bench in the Roosters’ 14-8 victory against Canberra Raiders the following year.
Catalans Dragons hooker MICHAEL McILORUM (35 years, 277 days) has the chance to become the oldest player to score in a Super League Grand Final.
Catalans Dragons coach STEVE McNAMARA has one Super League Grand Final appearance to his name, having played at loose forward in Bradford Bulls’ 8-6 defeat to St Helens in 1999.
Last ten meetings:
Catalans Dragons 0, Wigan 34 (SLR23, 26/8/23)
Catalans Dragons 46, Wigan 22 (SLR14, 3/6/23)
(at St James’ Park, Newcastle)
Wigan 10, Catalans Dragons 18 (SLR4, 9/3/23)
Wigan 48, Catalans Dragons 4 (SLR27, 2/9/22)
Catalans Dragons 28, Wigan 0 (SLR5, 12/3/22)
Wigan 12, Catalans Dragons 8 (SLR25, 17/9/21)
Catalans Dragons 48, Wigan 0 (SLR8, 29/5/21)
Catalans Dragons 12, Wigan 28 (SLR12, 12/9/20)
Wigan 46, Catalans Dragons 12 (SLR28, 6/9/19)
Catalans Dragons 33, Wigan 16 (SLR15, 18/5/19)
(at Camp Nou, Barcelona)
Super League summary
Wigan won 31 (includes wins in 2008, 2011 and 2012 play-offs)
Catalans Dragons won 13
1 draw
Wigan highest score: 58-0 (H, 2010) (also widest margin)
Catalans Dragons highest score: 58-16 (H, 2015) (Widest margin: 48-0, H, 2021)
Wigan Warriors - Super League Grand Final appearances
Liam Farrell
2020 Lost (v St Helens, 8-4)
2018 Won (v Warrington, 12-4)
2016 Won (v Warrington, 12-6) (Harry Sunderland Trophy winner)
2015 Lost (v Leeds, 22-20)
2014 Lost (v St Helens, 14-6)
2013 Won (v Warrington, 30-16)
2010 Won (v St Helens, 22-10)
Bevan French
2020 Lost (v St Helens, 8-4)
Willie Isa
2020 Lost (v St Helens, 8-4)
2016 Won (v Warrington, 12-6)
Toby King
2018 Lost (v Wigan, 12-4) *
2016 Lost (v Wigan, 12-6) *
* for Warrington
Sam Powell
2020 Lost (v St Helens, 8-4)
2018 Won (v Warrington, 12-4)
2016 Won (v Warrington, 12-6)
2015 Lost (v Leeds, 22-20)
2014 Lost (v St Helens, 14-6)
Morgan Smithies
2020 Lost (v St Helens, 8-4)
Iain Thornley
2013 Won (v Warrington, 30-16)
Wigan have used 26 players in this season’s Super League campaign, with Bevan French and Harry Smith playing in all 28 of the Warriors’ regular season and play-off games.
Catalans Dragons - Super League Grand Final appearances
Julian Bousquet
2021 Lost (v St Helens, 12-10)
Tom Davies
2021 Lost (v St Helens, 12-10)
2018 Won (v Warrington, 12-4) *
* for Wigan
Benjamin Garcia
2021 Lost (v St Helens, 12-10)
Mickael Goudemand
2021 Lost (v St Helens, 12-10)
Michael McIlorum
2021 Lost (v St Helens, 12-10)
2015 Lost (v Leeds, 22-20) *
2013 Won (v Warrington, 30-16) *
2010 Won (v St Helens, 22-10) *
* for Wigan
Mike McMeeken
2021 Lost (v St Helens, 12-10)
2017 Lost (v Leeds, 24-6) *
* for Castleford
Arthur Mourgue
2021 Lost (v St Helens, 12-10)
Romain Navarrete
2018 Won (v Warrington, 12-4) *
* for Wigan
Sam Tomkins
2021 Lost (v St Helens, 12-10)
2018 Won (v Warrington, 12-4) *
2013 Won (v Warrington, 30-16) *
2010 Won (v St Helens, 22-10) *
* for Wigan
Matt Whitley
2021 Lost (v St Helens, 12-10)
Fouad Yaha
2021 Lost (v St Helens, 12-10)
Catalans have used 28 players in this season’s Super League campaign, with only Benjamin Garcia playing in all 28 of the Dragons’ regular season and play-off games.
RECORD FINAL APPEARANCES
Jamie Peacock and James Roby share the record for most Grand Final appearances, having each played in the Super League title decider on eleven occasions.
Peacock also holds the record for most Grand Final wins, with nine. He won with Bradford in 2001, 2003 and 2005 (as captain) and was undefeated for Leeds in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2015. He was on the losing side for Bradford in 2002 and 2004.
Roby won with St Helens in 2006, 2014 (Harry Sunderland Trophy winner), 2019 (as captain), 2020 (captain, Harry Sunderland Trophy winner), 2021 (captain) and 2022 (captain). He was on the losing side for Saints in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011.
Seven players share the unwanted record of five defeats in Grand Finals – Lee Gilmour, James Graham, Francis Meli, Leon Pryce, James Roby, Paul Wellens and Jon Wilkin.
Graham, Meli, Roby, Wellens and Wilkin all lost with St Helens in successive years from 2007 to 2011. Gilmour lost with Saints in 2007, 2008 and 2009, with Bradford in 2002 and with Wigan in 2000. Pryce lost with St Helens in 2007, 2008 and 2009 and with Bradford in 1999 and 2002.
Carl Ablett holds the record for most Grand Final appearances without suffering defeat (7) – having featured in the victorious Leeds sides of 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2015 and 2017.
St Helens’ Paul Clough (2008, 2009, 2010, 2011), Chris Flannery (2007, 2008, 2009, 2010) and Matt Gidley (2007, 2008, 2009, 2010), Warrington’s Chris Hill (2012, 2013, 2016, 2018) and Stefan Ratchford (2012, 2013, 2016, 2018) – along with the late Terry Newton – share the unwanted record of most Grand Final appearances without a win. Newton lost with Leeds in 1998 and with Wigan in 2000, 2001 and 2003.
Kevin Sinfield holds the records for most appearances and wins as captain in a Super League Grand Final – having skippered Leeds on eight occasions (2004(W), 2005(L), 2007(W), 2008(W), 2009(W), 2011(W), 2012(W) and 2015(W).
Sinfield also won the Harry Sunderland Trophy in the 2009 and 2012 victories.
Youngest finalist
Leon Pryce – Bradford v St Helens, 1999 – 18 years (played in the game on his 18th birthday)
– The youngest player to win a Grand Final is Jack Walker (18 years, 60 days), who was on the winning side for Leeds against Castleford in 2017
– The youngest player to score in a Grand Final is David Hodgson (19 years, 67 days), who touched down in defeat for Wigan against St Helens in 2000
Oldest finalist
Sean O’Loughlin – Wigan v St Helens, 2020 – 38 years, 3 days
– The oldest player to win a Grand Final is Jamie Peacock (37 years, 300 days), who was on the winning side for Leeds against Wigan in 2015
– The oldest player to score in a Grand Final is James Maloney (35 years, 116 days), who kicked three goals in defeat for Catalans Dragons against St Helens in 2021
HARRY SUNDERLAND TROPHY
(Awarded to the man of the match in the Championship Final from 1965 to 1973; Club Merit Final 1974; Premiership Final 1975-1997; Super League Grand Final from 1998)
Seven players have twice won the Harry Sunderland Trophy with the same club: Alan Tait (Widnes – 1989, 1990 Premiership Finals), Chris Joynt (St Helens – 1993 Premiership Final, 2000 Super League Grand Final), Andrew Farrell (Wigan – 1996, 1997 Premiership Finals), Rob Burrow (Leeds – 2007, 2011 Super League Grand Finals), Kevin Sinfield (Leeds – 2009, 2012 Super League Grand Finals), James Roby (St Helens – 2014, 2020 Super League Grand Finals) and Danny McGuire (Leeds – 2015, 2017 Super League Grand Finals).
Burrow, winning the award in 2011, became the first player to win the Trophy twice in the Grand Final.
Sinfield is one of just 11 players to have lifted both the Harry Sunderland Trophy and the Lance Todd Trophy (as man of the match in the Challenge Cup Final).
Four players from the losing side have won the Harry Sunderland Trophy: Bill Ashurst (Wigan v St Helens, 1971), Henry Paul (Bradford Bulls v St Helens, 1999), Paul Deacon (Bradford Bulls v St Helens, 2002) and Stefan Ratchford (Warrington Wolves v Wigan Warriors, 2018).
The youngest player to win the trophy is Wigan centre Kris Radlinski (19 years, 42 days) against Leeds in 1995.
The oldest player to win the trophy is St Helens hooker James Roby (35 years, 5 days) against Wigan in 2020.
DOUBLE GRAND FINAL WINNERS
Adrian Morley is the only British player to play in a Grand Final-winning side in both England and Australia. Morley played for Sydney Roosters when they defeated New Zealand Warriors 30-8 in 2002, and for Bradford Bulls when they defeated Leeds Rhinos 15-6 in 2005.
Overseas players that have completed the Grand Final winning double:
Darren Albert (Newcastle 1997/St Helens 2002)
Marcus Bai (Melbourne 1999/Leeds 2004)
Darren Britt (Sydney Bulldogs 1995/St Helens 2002)
Danny Buderus (Newcastle 2001/Leeds 2011)
Jason Cayless (Sydney Roosters 2002/St Helens 2006)
Lachlan Coote (North Queensland 2015/St Helens 2019, 2020 & 2021)
David Furner (Canberra 1994/Leeds 2004)
Daniel Gartner (Manly 1996/Bradford 2001 & 2003)
Ben Harris (Canterbury 2004/Bradford 2005)
Will Hopoate (Manly 2011/St Helens 2022)
Graham Mackay (Penrith 1991/Bradford 2001)
Danny Moore (Manly 1996/Wigan 1998)
Frank-Paul Nuuausala (Sydney Roosters 2013/Wigan 2016)
Pat Richards (Wests Tigers 2005/Wigan 2010 & 2013)
GRAND FINAL RESULTS
(all played at Old Trafford unless stated)
1998 Wigan Warriors (1st) 10, Leeds Rhinos (2nd) 4 (Attendance: 43,553)
1999 St Helens (2nd) 8, Bradford Bulls (1st) 6 (Attendance: 50,717)
2000 St Helens (2nd) 29, Wigan Warriors (1st) 16 (Attendance: 58,132)
2001 Bradford Bulls (1st) 37, Wigan Warriors (2nd) 6 (Attendance: 60,164)
2002 St Helens (1st) 19, Bradford Bulls (2nd) 18 (Attendance: 61,138)
2003 Bradford Bulls (1st) 25, Wigan Warriors (3rd) 12 (Attendance: 65,537)
2004 Leeds Rhinos (1st) 16, Bradford Bulls (2nd) 8 (Attendance: 65,537)
2005 Bradford Bulls (3rd) 15, Leeds Rhinos (2nd) 6 (Attendance: 65,537)
2006 St Helens (1st) 26, Hull FC (2nd) 4 (Attendance: 72,582)
2007 Leeds Rhinos (2nd) 33, St Helens (1st) 6 (Attendance: 71,352)
2008 Leeds Rhinos (2nd) 24, St Helens (1st) 16 (Attendance: 68,810)
2009 Leeds Rhinos (1st) 18, St Helens (2nd) 10 (Attendance: 63,259)
2010 Wigan Warriors (1st) 22, St Helens (2nd) 10 (Attendance: 71,526)
2011 Leeds Rhinos (5th) 32, St Helens (3rd) 16 (Attendance: 69,107)
2012 Leeds Rhinos (5th) 26, Warrington Wolves (2nd) 18 (Attendance: 70,676)
2013 Wigan Warriors (4th) 30, Warrington Wolves (2nd) 16 (Attendance: 66,281)
2014 St Helens (1st) 14, Wigan Warriors (2nd) 6 (Attendance: 70,102)
2015 Leeds Rhinos (1st) 22, Wigan Warriors (2nd) 20 (Attendance: 73,512)
2016 Wigan Warriors (2nd) 12, Warrington Wolves (1st) 6 (Attendance: 70,202)
2017 Leeds Rhinos (2nd) 24, Castleford Tigers (1st) 6 (Attendance: 72,827)
2018 Wigan Warriors (2nd) 12, Warrington Wolves (4th) 4 (Attendance: 64,892)
2019 St Helens (1st) 23, Salford Red Devils (3rd) 6 (Attendance: 64,102)
2020 St Helens (2nd) 8, Wigan Warriors (1st) 4 (Attendance: N/A – behind closed doors)
(at KCOM Stadium, Hull)
2021 St Helens (2nd) 12, Catalans Dragons (1st) 10 (Attendance: 45,177)
2022 St Helens (1st) 24, Leeds Rhinos (5th) 12 (Attendance: 60,783)
DISMISSALS
Wigan’s Ben Flower is the only player to be sent off in a Super League Grand Final – shown the red card by referee Phil Bentham in the second minute of the Warriors’ 2014 defeat to St Helens. Flower was dismissed for punching Saints’ Lance Hohaia.
St Helens’ Tommy Makinson is the only player to be sin-binned in a Super League Grand Final – shown the yellow card by referee Liam Moore in the 46th minute of the Saints’ 2021 victory against Catalans. Makinson was sent to the sin bin for a high tackle on the Dragons’ Fouad Yaha.
GRAND FINAL RECORDS
Most finals
14 St Helens (1999, 2000, 2002, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022)
Most wins
9 St Helens (1999, 2000, 2002, 2006, 2014, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022)
Most losses
6 Wigan Warriors (2000, 2001, 2003, 2014, 2015, 2020)
Highest score
Bradford Bulls 37 Wigan Warriors 6 (2001)
(also widest margin)
Highest aggregate score
Leeds Rhinos 32 St Helens 16 (2011)
Most tries by a team
6 Bradford Bulls (v Wigan Warriors, 2001)
Most points by a losing team
Wigan Warriors 20 Leeds Rhinos 22 (2015)
Biggest attendance
73,512 Leeds Rhinos v Wigan Warriors (2015)
Fastest try
Matty Lees (St Helens) v Leeds Rhinos, 2022 – 2 minutes, 22 seconds
Most tries by a player
3 Michael Withers (Bradford Bulls) v Wigan Warriors, 2001
Most goals by a player
7 (including 1 fg) Paul Deacon (Bradford Bulls) v Wigan Warriors, 2003
Most points by a player
14 (1 try, 5 goals) Kevin Sinfield (Leeds Rhinos) v Warrington Wolves, 2012
14 (1 try, 5 goals) Pat Richards (Wigan Warriors) v Warrington Wolves, 2013
BETFRED SUPER LEAGUE - MILESTONES
SAM POWELL needs one appearance to reach 250 (Super League).
– 249 for Wigan Warriors (2012-2023)
(including play-offs & Super League Super 8s)
LIAM FARRELL needs two tries to reach 150 for his career.
– 139 for Wigan Warriors (2010-2023)
– 3 for Widnes Vikings (2010, loan)
– 6 for England (2012-2016, 2021-2022)
(0 for England Knights, 2011-2012)
RYAN HAMPSHIRE needs seven points to reach 500 (Super League).
– 86 for Wigan Warriors (2013-2015, 2023)
– 40 for Castleford Tigers (2016, 2022)
– 355 for Wakefield Trinity (2018-2021)
– 12 for Leigh Centurions (2017)
(including play-offs & Super League Super 8s)
LIAM FARRELL needs four points to reach 500 (Super League).
– 496 for Wigan Warriors (2010-2023)
(including play-offs & Super League Super 8s)
MICKAEL GOUDEMAND needs one appearance to reach 100 for Catalans Dragons.
– Debut: Whitehaven (h) (CC) (W56-10) (Substitute, 2 tries) (12 May, 2018)
TOM JOHNSTONE needs one try to equal Catalans Dragons’ record for tries in a season.
Johnstone has touched down 28 times in 2023, and is closing in on MORGAN ESCARE‘s total of 29 (set in 2014).