Grand Final: Wigan coach Shaun Wane desperate to put one over St Helens
Saturday 11 October 2014 10:22, UK
Wigan coach Shaun Wane will have plenty at stake when his side take on St Helens in the Super League Grand Final on Saturday.
Live Super League Grand Final
Wane's dislike for the Warriors' Old Trafford opponents is well documented, having been brought up in a staunchly Wigan household, and he revealed the next generation of his family is already following the same pattern.
The fierce rivals will be meeting in a Grand Final for the third time, with both sides having won one apiece so far, most recently Wigan's 22-10 success in 2010.
Special week
"I was four or five when my dad took me to watch games," Wane said. "He was quite quiet in giving his opinion but when we played St Helens, I saw him change.
"So it's been rammed home to me that this game is different to every other one, this was the game you want to win. I've been brought up with it and that's the way I've always brought my kids up.
Trending
- Transfer Centre: Real Madrid weighing up second TAA bid
- Papers: Alexander-Arnold issues Reds demands to reject Madrid move
- Man Utd latest: 'Rashford rejects three offers from Saudi Arabia'
- Martinez's passing, Ugarte's energy and Amorim's huge task at Liverpool
- Highlights: Littler DESTROYS Bunting 6-1 to set-up final with MVG!
- Littler sets up World Championship final showdown with MVG
- Neville fears Man Utd's trip to Liverpool - will Amorim change shape?
- World Darts Championship recap! Dominant Littler to face MVG in final
- What time is the World Darts Championship final on Friday?
- Man City latest: 'We are COMPLETELY out of the title race', says Bernardo Silva
"My girls (Bethan and Megan) understand. Their feeling for St Helens is the same as mine. It means everything for everybody in Wigan.
"I still live in Standish in Wigan and when I come out of my house people are pipping their horns and saying certain things about St Helens, as you can imagine. So it's a special week for us."
Respect
Skipper Sean O'Loughlin fully understands the rivalry between the teams but he feels it is more hostile from a fans' point of view.
"There's massive respect between all the players. The towns being close together, you are bumping into each other more than you do at any other club," O'Loughlin said.
"There's definitely rivalry there but I think it's more from a spectator point of view.
"When the games start you know how much the fans hate each other and you don't want to be on a losing side. You want the fans to have the bragging rights."
The reigning champions go into the game in good health, and with four consecutive wins against top-five opposition O'Loughlin feels they could barely have had a better preparation.
"For the past four or five weeks we've had probably the same 17 lads playing week in, week out and playing well as well," O'Loughlin said.
"We don't need to make any changes, we've not picked up any injuries and confidence is really high. We know we've got the ability to win the big games against these big sides if we play well, the biggest thing for us this week is to stay focused.
"You work all year for this one game really. We weren't involved in the Challenge Cup final, so we've got one game to try and win a trophy."
Watch the Super League Grand Final LIVE on Sky Sports 1 HD from 5pm on Saturday - or if you're out and about follow our live blog on the action from Old Trafford.
