DOM MANFREDI’S double sealed Super League title glory for Wigan.
A 12-4 victory over Warrington provided the perfect send-off for Warriors coach Shaun Wane, who is leaving to take up a post with the Scottish Rugby Union after seven years at the helm.
For opposite number Steve Price, it was another disappointment on the big stage after Warrington’s Challenge Cup final defeat by Catalans Dragons.
Price’s side led after 13 minutes, when Wigan old boy Josh Charnley went in wide on the right off Stefan Ratchford’s pass.
Tyrone Roberts was off target with the conversion attempt.
Wigan were level on 25 minutes as Manfredi, who returned towards the end of the season after a troublesome knee injury, made the most of Oliver Gildart’s pass to cross on the right.
Like Roberts, Sam Tomkins was unable to add the extras, and went on to miss three further kicks at goal.
Wigan went in front after half an hour through Tom Davies, who raced onto a George Williams grubber out on the left.
Referee Robert Hicks sent it upstairs as a try, and his verdict was backed.
The second half was an untidy affair with defences on top, and after Tomkins missed a long-range penalty-goal attempt, the match was firmly in the balance going into the final ten minutes.
Manfredi’s second try, off Tomkins’ neat pass, came with three minutes remaining as Wigan shifted play to the right.
Warrington almost pulled a try back in the last minute, but under pressure from Tomkins, Toby King fumbled as he tried to place the ball down.
It was Wane’s third Grand Final win, the previous two also coming against Warrington.
Wigan: Tomkins, Manfredi, Gildart, Sarginson, Davies, Williams, Leuluai, Navarrete, Powell, Flower, Greenwood, Bateman, O’Loughlin.
Substitutes: Clubb, Farrell, Sutton, Escare.
Warrington: Ratchford, Lineham, Goodwin, T King, Charnley, Brown, Roberts, Hill, Clark, Cooper, Thompson, Hughes, Westwood.
Substitutes: Murdoch-Masila, Patton, Philbin, G King.
Referee: Robert Hicks.
Full report, analysis and interviews in Monday’s League Express.
