WIGAN WARRIORS captain Liam Farrell says a “fear of losing” continues to be his biggest motivation as he prepares for a tenth Grand Final.

The veteran back-rower has won six of nine Super League deciders, winning the title in 2010, 2013, 2016, 2018, 2023 and 2024 while being on the losing side in 2014, 2015 and 2020.

Farrell is inching towards the record of 11 Grand Final appearances, jointly held by Jamie Peacock (whose nine wins is the most of any player) and James Roby.

“The only thing that’s the same is the nerves,” said the 35-year-old.

“I was very nervous for my first one and I still am now, it’s been building since Sunday morning.

“But I like that. It means I still care and want to be part of this great team. Back then I was just excited, now it’s being excited about hopefully getting a win and sharing it with my family.

“I have a fear of losing. I don’t want to lose. I want to be a winner.

“I’ve been part of this club for 20 years and it’s built on success. I’ve been part of that for a long time. I like to compete and be involved in big games. These are the best games of the year.

“The one I’d pick out is the first one (beating St Helens in 2010), because of the position I was in. It was my first year playing, I’d been out on loan (at Widnes) at the beginning of the year.

“It was the club’s first Grand Final for seven years, it was a turnaround in fortunes for the club and there was a lot more success after that.

“The worst was Covid (losing the 2020 Grand Final to Saints in the final minute in Hull). That (pain) lasted for months on end.

“You come out of losses, particularly the Covid one, and there’s a lot of regrets there. There were moments in the last parts of those games where you think you could have done a little bit more.

“There are always regrets in games like that. That strives you on in big games – you don’t want to have any regrets. You want to come out of the game feeling like you’ve done all you can.”