Wigan will Sean O’Loughlin was named on the bench for his final-ever appearance at the DW Stadium. After announcing a two-year extension yesterday, Danny Houghton looked to lead his side to a home Grand Final.
It was a chaotic start, but Hull acquired the opening points with 11 minutes on the board through a Marc Sneyd penalty.
Thereafter, Wigan ran away with the game. Oliver Gildart provided a quick ball to Joe Burgess which presented him with a simple finish out wide.
Harry Smith started an intelligent short side move by providing a ball to Joe Burgess, who booted the ball in-field to allow Smith to finish the perfectly-executed play that he started.
Smith’s drop-goal on the stroke of half-time placed Wigan into a comfortable 13-2 lead at the interval.
Zak Hardaker, who ran a perfect diagonal line, received a drop-off ball from Bevan French, broke through tackles, raced away to score under the posts and saluted to a crowd of cardboard cut outs.
Sneyd broke through the line in an attempt to begin a comeback but, for the avoidance of doubt, Bevan French back-tracked to force an error.
Jake Bibby crossed on Wigan’s right-hand side to secure his second consecutive Grand Final appearance and Wigan’s first in two years.
Wigan: French, Bibby, Hardaker, Gildart, Burgess, Leuluai, Smith, Bullock, Hastings, Singleton, Isa, Farrell, Partington; Subs: Clubb, Flower, O’Loughlin, Smithies
Hull FC: Connor, Naulago, Fonua, Griffin, Faraimo, Tuimavave, Sneyd, Taylor, Johnstone, Bowden, Ma’u, Savelio, Cator; Subs: Houghton, Fash, Sao, Satae
