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We have a fascinating Grand Final taking place at Old Trafford this Saturday as the all-conquering Wigan Warriors meet first-time Grand Finalists Hull KR for the trophy
START DATE/TIME: Saturday 12th October, 2024, UK – 6:00pm / Sunday 14th October, AUS - 3:00am / Saturday 12th October, US ET – 1:00pm / Saturday 12th October, US PT – 10:00am
HOW TO WATCH ON TV: UK - This match will be broadcast live on Sky Sports + / AUS - This match will be broadcast live on Fox League / US - This match will not be broadcast live
HOW TO WATCH ONLINE: UK - This match will be streamed on SkyGo / AUS - This match will be streamed on Kayo Sports / US - This match will be streamed on SuperLeague+
WIGAN WARRIORS FORM: PEET’S MEN LOOKING FOR BACK-TO-BACK GRAND FINALS
This is Wigan’s 13th Grand Final appearance as they target back-to-back wins and their seventh victory at Old Trafford. Wigan have been the standout team in the Super League over the last two years and they will look to cement that title with another victory here. They come into this match in fine form and the dominant with against Leigh in the semis will only heighten their belief.
LAST FIVE: WWWWW
HULL KR FORM: FIRST-EVER GRAND FINAL APPEARANCE FOR HISTORY-CHASERS
Willie Peters’ men can already be proud of their achievements this year as they have produced their highest-ever Super League finish. However, the Hull KR coach has been keen to stress there’s one more match to win and full focus is on this match. They come off an incredibly intense and hard-fought match against Warrington Wolves which they edged, but they need to step up once again for this crunch match.
LAST FIVE: WLWWW
WIGAN WARRIORS TEAM NEWS: SKIPPER LIAM FARRELL SET TO RETURN FROM ILLNESS
Despite a Man of the Match performance by Sam Walters, the ex-Leeds man is likely to make way for captain Liam Farrell who returns from illness. The second-rower produced an outstanding display with two tries but Farrell will surely return for the Grand Final. Otherwise, it is hard to see any changes given the way the Warriors took Leigh apart last Saturday.
21-MAN SQUAD: TO BE ANNOUNCED…
HULL KR TEAM NEWS: MINCHELLA AND GILDART AVAILABLE AGAIN
After missing the last two matches due to suspension, captain Elliot Minchella returns to the squad and provides a boost to Peters and the team. The loose forward is also joined by centre Oliver Gildart who is fit again after injury and assuming he has no ongoing issues with his ribs, should get the nod. Jack Broadbent and Dean Hadley have been filling in as centre and loose-forward and would be the men to make way.
21-MAN SQUAD: TO BE ANNOUNCED…
WIGAN WARRIORS VS HULL KR PREDICTION
Hull KR are going to have to produce some magic here if they are to win the Grand Final in their first-ever appearance during the Super League era. Man of Steel candidate Mikey Lewis has been outstanding this year but he is going to have to have the game of his life if Hull KR are going to come away with the trophy.
Hull KR beat Wigan earlier in the season 26-10 on home turf as they put an early marker down but that sparked the Warriors into life and they reeled off ten wins in a row after that shock loss. During that streak, the Warriors knocked KR out of the Challenge Cup with an emphatic 38-6 win and they followed that up with a 24-20 win in September.
We expect this match to follow a similar pattern to their most recent match in September and it is hard to see either team running away with this. Ultimately, these occasions often come down to big-game players making the difference and it is the Warriors who just have that edge all over the pitch.
This week will be foreign to so many of the Hull KR players with additional media work and all the spotlight on this match. This will be second nature to the Warriors but less so to Willie Peters’ men. With the likes of French, Field, Farrell and the hugely impressive Junior Nsemba, Wigan have quality everywhere and men who can make the difference in key moments.
We expect Wigan to win and we favour them to also beat the handicap too. Take nothing away from Hull KR’s incredible season, but Wigan will win the Grand Final for a second year in a row.
WIGAN WARRIORS VS HULL KR TIP: WIGAN WARRIORS TO WIN