Wigan Warriors pulled off a historic 30-16 victory over Warrington Wolves to secure the 2013 Super League title this evening.
Warrington scored three tries in just six minutes in the first half to take control of the match, leading 16-2 at one point.
However, a try at the end of the first half and a superb second-half performance from Wigan saw them score 28 unanswered points to record the biggest ever comeback in Grand Final history and complete a historic double.
You can read how a memorable night of rugby unfolded with Sports Mole's live play-by-play coverage of the Grand Final below.
Good afternoon! Thank you very much for joining Sports Mole for this mouth-watering Super League Grand Final as Warrington Wolves take on Wigan Warriors. The Super League's showpiece event once again takes place at Old Trafford this season, with the 'Theatre of Dreams' destined to make and breaks plenty of them today.
This is perhaps the most eagerly-anticipated Grand Final since the format was introduced in 1998, with either side capable of winning and almost everybody predicting a close encounter no matter who they think will win. It promises to be an unmissable encounter being two juggernauts of Rugby League.
We'll start by looking at Warrington, who go into this match as very slight favourites. They beat Huddersfield Giants 30-22 in the semi-finals to reach this stage, as well as overcoming Leeds 4-20 in the qualifying playoff.
They finished second in the regular season table, just being pipped to the post by Huddersfield, who finished top by one point. Warrington's win over the Giants in the semis gave them the last laugh, however, and they will be looking to crown it all off with what would be their first domestic league triumph since 1955 - that is 58 years.
They almost achieved that last season having reached their first ever Grand Final. They were rookies against the vast experience of Leeds on that occasion, however, and were defeated 26-18. Being rookies is not an excuse that will wash this time, however, and they will be looking to learn from the mistakes of last year's final this time around.
Despite their second place finish in the regular season, Warrington did not have a single player named in the 2013 Super League Dream Team. To think that that means they have a shortage of quality in their ranks would be a mistake, however, and the 13 men out on the field this afternoon will be looking to prove that.
As for Wigan, they had no less than four players included in the Dream Team, just one fewer than Huddersfield's tally. The likes of Sam Tomkins (more on him later), Josh Charnley, Matty Smith and Sean O'Loughlin were all included, and all of them thoroughly deserved their spots after fine seasons.
The Warriors reached the final courtesy of a 22-12 victory over Leeds in the semis and a 22-8 win over Huddersfield in the qualifying playoffs. They have certainly earned their place in the final two, then.
Wigan did only manage to finish fourth in the regular season table, however, six points behind today's opponents and seven behind league-winners Huddersfield. However, not many teams are better versed in the art of playoff rugby than Wigan, and they will be looking to use that experience today. They have reached five Grand Finals overall, winning two, including the inaugural one in 1998 and most recently in 2010, and losing three (2000, 2001, 2003).
Wigan have already got their hands on silverware this season, having picked up the Challenge Cup with a 16-0 win over Hull FC in the final. This afternoon they are looking to become the first side to pick up the double since St Helens managed it in 2006.
Wigan conceded the fewest points in the regular season, although Warrington were a very close second having conceded just a point more than the Warriors. Wigan also boast two of the top three try scorers in Super League this season in Josh Charnley and Sam Tomkins. Charnley, in fact, recently broke the record for the amount of tries scored in a single Super League season, including the cup.
Today will be something of a farewell for a number of players for both sides, so it will be a grand occasion tinged with a little sadness. Warrington will say goodbye to Brett Hodgson, Gareth Carvell and Mike Cooper, while the legendary Adrian Morley will return to his hometown club of Salford at the end of the season, finishing a seven-year stint with the Wolves.
For Wigan, Lee Mossop and Pat Richards are both playing their last games for the club, but the biggest goodbye of the day will be reserved for Sam Tomkins. The fullback has played for Wigan for his entire career but this will be his final game as he will move to the New Zealand Warriors in a world-record transfer after this season.
Tomkins may have been hoping to captain Wigan in his farewell appearance, but club skipper Sean O'Loughlin has been included in the squad having not played since the Challenge Cup success due to injury. His return is a big boost for Wigan, but only if he is truly fully fit.
England coach Steve McNamara will be keeping a close eye on today's match. No fewer than eight of his World Cup squad will be in action this afternoon, and he will be hoping that no injuries come the way of his players.
We're nearing kickoff right now and the crowd is making an almighty noise. What an occasion the Grand Final always is, but this year just has an even more special feel to it than usual. Both sides are star-studded and this one is just too close to call.
What a match we have in prospect here. It could well be the greatest Grand Final of all time, and if it lives up to half the pre-match hype then it will be.
KICKOFF: Wigan kick us off so it is Warrington who will have the first possession of the afternoon.
Fierce opening exchanges from both sides, but were you expecting anything less? We already have our first casualty as Blake Green looks to have a broken cheekbone already. He is surrounded by medical staff and is receiving oxygen, so it is highly unlikely that he will be able to continue here.
The replays show exactly what caused that injury, and it was a straight punch to the face by Ben Westwood. That was very naughty from the Warrington man, and the referee confirms that he will go on report. Controversial start to this final.
Incredibly, Blake Green is continuing. Having needed oxygen a couple of minutes ago, he is up and kicking the ball forward. It doesn't look like a broken cheekbone after all, and the England doctor has cleared him to continue.
Tomkins makes a brilliant take under the very close attention of Monaghan, who ensures that he can't make any progress after the take.
The first mini-break of the match is created by Tomkins, who creates the extra man that sees Charnley created as the overlap. The pass out to the winger is tipped forward, however, so Wigan will get the ball back.
Wigan are starting to look like the better team in these early stages. Tomkins is involved again as he produces a fine offload on the fourth tackle, but the move eventually sees Smith kick it out of play.
Good attack from Warrington but it comes to nothing as Briers's kick isn't gathered by Monaghan. The in-goal areas are very shallow at Old Trafford, which is going to force the kicks to be very clever today.
PENALTY WIGAN! Wigan are the first team to get on the scoreboard, and it is a fine kick from Pat Richards. He knocks it between the posts from a long way out to give his side the lead.
What a kick from Blake Green. His teammates come over to him and all offer him congratulations, which gives you some idea as to how good that was. Wigan now have a scrum deep into Warrington territory.
Oh that is a mistake from Darrell Goulding! He has Charnley outside him but looks for an early kick when it is never on. Sure enough, it is blocked and Warrington get the ball back when Wigan had a real chance to score the first try of the day.
Briers tries to slip a cheeky grubber kick in, but Tomkins is there to mop it up. Great positioning from the most expensive player in the history of rugby league. Those grubber kicks are going to have to be absolutely perfect to work today with the shallow goal areas.
Super League really is going to miss Tomkins, he is something special. He dances past four or five tackles when returning a kick before finally being hauled down by Grix. He didn't make a lot of ground, but it was a sparkling run from Tomkins.
Poor kick from Lee Briers, who is yet to find his range at the moment. At his best he can dictate matches with his kicking, but so far he hasn't been able to do that today. He apologises to his teammates after that latest kick, which went straight into the arms of Richards.
TRY! Warrington Wolves (Joel Monaghan)
Higham goes within inches of crossing the line before the ball is fed back to Briers, who this time gets his kick spot on as he lofts it towards the corner. Joel Monaghan goes up and juggles the ball before finally getting control of it and falling down for a try. Superb finish for the winger, who now has 90 tires in 87 matches for Warrington.
The kick is unsuccessful, so Warrington's lead is just two points. Meanwhile, the restart goes straight out so Warrington will have the ball back immediately.
TRY! Warrington Wolves (Simon Grix)
Warrington have suddenly seized control of this Grand Final with two tries in quick succession! Higham plays a short pass to Grix, who powers over from close range. That kickoff mistake from Richards is looking very costly now as Warrington take a six-point lead.
The kick is good! Warrington extend their lead to eight points, which could be enough even at this early stage given how tight this match was expected to be.
TRY! Warrington Wolves (Ben Westwood)
Warrington are simply unstoppable at the moment! The Wolves got the ball back when Charnley failed to collect a high ball, and they took full advantage. Briers is again the architect as he slightly delays his pass to Westwood, who dives in like a missile to extend his side's lead even further.
Again, the kick is good and things are looking grim for Wigan right now. There is a 14-point gap right now, which is bigger than anyone was expecting at any point in this match. Wigan need to pull something out of the bag soon.
Charnley has a chance to go for the corner but he chooses to step back inside and is bundled into touch by three Warrington defenders. He is the most prolific winger in the league at the moment, but there is only so much he could do there. Great defending.
Warrington are playing some party rugby right now, but a free play is wasted by Westwood's dummy run in front of his man. Warrington will keep possession, however, and eventually win a penalty within kickable distance.
Warrington smell blood, however, and they choose to go for the try rather than the two points. It doesn't pay off, and Wigan get the ball back after a tackle into touch.
Yet another chance goes begging for Wigan as Goulding's pass to Charnley is behind the winger. That is the third occasion that those normally prolific players have wasted a try-scoring chance. Tonight is not the night to lose your killer instinct!
Penalty to Wigan as Atkins strips the ball. It is in range for the kick, but the Warriors know they need more than two points and choose to go for the try.
The initial effort comes to nothing but then Wigan get a break as Ratchford knocks on a speculative throw back inside from Richards. Warrington's penalty count is starting to mount, and it is allowing Wigan back into the game.
Joel Monaghan is in trouble here. Following his tackle in the play he has been left out cold on the touchline. He is fast asleep out there and has not moved since the incident. Once again the oxygen tank comes out and this time it is followed by the stretcher and the next brace. He got a hip to the head from Richards while making the tackle, and was almost snoring on the touchline.
Monaghan's injury may not only harm Warrington as Wigan were beginning to build up momentum before this lengthy stoppage. Charnley is currently sat down on the field, and this time will have stopped them of any momentum that they had been built up.
Monaghan is stretchered off complete with neck brace and oxygen and, to be honest, he still appears to be knocked out. He has been for more than five minutes now, and that injury looks pretty serious. Never good to see.
TRY! Wigan Warriors (Darrell Goulding)
What was I saying about losing their momentum? Wigan go over the line in the first play following the injury stoppage as the ball is worked along the line to Goulding, who goes some way to making up for a couple of early errors by crashing over the line. The kick, incidentally, is missed.
HALF TIME: Warrington Wolves 16-6 Wigan Warriors
Well, that first half has not disappointed. We were expecting it to be a little closer than the 10-point gap we have at the break, but there is still all to play for and Wigan ended that half as the better side with a late score. They have missed a number of really good try-scoring opportunities down their right wing already which could have made a telling difference today.
There is no doubt that Warrington are in pole position at the halfway stage, however. They score three quickfire tries in the first half to seize control of the match, and it will need an impressive comeback from Wigan to change that. The Wolves certainly made the most of their good patch with the three tries, but they became sloppy as the half went on and began to make more and more mistakes. This allowed Wigan back into the match, and that score just before the break could be a vital one.
The end of the half also saw a low point, however, as Joel Monaghan was forced off on a stretcher and being given oxygen having been knocked out cold for more than five minutes. It is highly doubtful that he will be able to return to the match, but these players are made of sturdy stuff so we can't completely rule it out.
The match started in controversial fashion too as Westwood punched Green in the face during a tackle. The referee didn't see the incident, but it could well have been a sending off had he done so.
Charnley and Goulding have been the unusual suspects of missing scoring opportunities for Wigan so far. They have over-run the play on a couple of occasions and it is they who squandered three really good chances for the Warriors. That is very rare for the likes of Charnley, who has scored more tries this season than any other player in Super League history has managed in a single season.
Warrington certainly started that first half as the better team but, as I have mentioned, they fell away towards the end and allowed Wigan back into it when they were on the ropes. The Wigan dressing room will be an optimistic one despite the 10-point gap. They know that the tide was turning at the end of that half and that, had they scored all of their available opportunities, they would be winning this match.
We are set up for a mouth-watering second half. Wigan have no choice but to go for it against one of the most impressive defences in the league, and the way they ended that first half they will believe that they can still win this one. As it stands, however, Warrington will be picking up their first ever Super League title.
KICKOFF: Warrington kick the ball to Wigan at the start of this second half. There is just 40 minutes left of the season, and only two teams have overturned a half time deficit to win the Grand Final before. Can Wigan make it three?
Joel Monaghan, we're told, is on his way to hospital with concussion. The good news is that he is concious again, and we give him our best wishes for a speedy recovery.
Oh so close from Farrell. He makes a lot of ground running backwards having spun away from a tackle and just tried to squeeze an offload to O'Loughlin for what would have surely been a try, but the ball escapes his grasp and is knocked on. A big chance goes begging for Wigan.
Silly play from O'Loughlin as he is penalised for a swinging arm. That allows Warrington to make plenty of headway upfield with the kick when Wigan had the chance to pen them in.
A try-saving tackle from Tomkins is followed up by some very good defensive work by Farrell, who works his way out of his own in-goal area with very little room to work with.
TRY! Wigan Warriors (Michael McIlorum)
That is an absolutely vital score from McIlorum as it puts Wigan right back into this match. He darts from the scrum half position and the Warrington defence falls for his dummy, allowing him to go over for the try. Huge score!
The kick is good and we have a four-point game on our hands! What a finish we have ahead of us here.
Oh my word, what a terrible sequence of errors from both sides! No-one claims a high kick and it actually bounces off the back of a Warrington player who isn't even looking. It goes into the arms of Wigan, but with a man over they fail to utilise the overlap and a pass is intercepted by Grix. That is a big chance missed from Wigan.
Silly from Atkins as he hits Charnley before the ball drops to the winger. He just needed to wait there and either compete for the ball or tackle Charnley, but that thoughtless play gifts the ball back to Wigan when they were under pressure.
Ratchford has also been forced to limp off the field after his leg bent in a way that legs are not meant to bend in.
VIDEO REF: Charnley thinks that he has added to his incredible try-scoring record after getting on the end of a kick, but the referee wants to check whether he was onside.
TRY! Wigan Warriors (Josh Charnley)
The try is given! That four points draws Wigan level, and the kick is a formality so Wigan take the lead for the first time since early on in the match. What a comeback from the Warriors, and this match is just getting tastier by the minute.
Warrington's numerous injuries have forced an almighty re-hauling of their backline, which is almost unrecognisable to how it started in terms of personnel and positioning.
Oh Josh Charnley! After a the best single-season scoring record in Super League history, he has chosen the Grand Final to miss a number of opportunities. He drops a pass just yards from the try line when he should have had a simple score ahead of him. That could be a vital moment in this match.
Myler has lost the ball forward in a tackle from McIlorum, which gifts the ball back to Wigan. Warrington need to cut these mistake out of their game very soon otherwise this final will slip away from them.
We have less than 20 minutes left of the 2013 Super League season and there are just two points in it. What a way to finish the season between two teams who have really earned their place in the finale.
Smith loses the ball in the tackle but the referee adjudges Cooper to have ripped the ball out, which gives Wigan another penalty. They will again clear the danger downfield and set up another scoring opportunity of their own.
TRY! Wigan Warriors (Blake Green)
That could be the killer score for Wigan. Green, whose participation in this match was called into question when he was levelled with a punch early on, dummies his way through a tired defence to go over for another try. The kick is good, and Wigan's lead is now eight points. What a second half performance.
It is going to need a huge effort from Warrington right now. They are tiring, you can tell that, but with just 13 minutes left of their season they will need to suck it up and come up with something special here.
Wigan have a penalty for crossing, and that is a controversial one that robs Warrington of another good chance. They have simply been second best in this second half and look set for a second consecutive defeat in the Grand Final.
Tomkins almost makes a break for what would be a dream try in his farewell performance, but he is hauled back by a last-ditch tackle. He manages to squeeze the ball away, but Wigan are forced back and Warrington's defence is back in place.
Richards is hit by a naughty swinging arm from Cooper while already being tackled. The referee does see it this time, but chooses not to book him or send him off. He is a little lucky there.
Warrington just can't get their hands on the ball at the moment, and they haven't been able to all second half. A Wigan kick is blocked but once again the ball falls kindly for the Warriors, who reset the tackle count.
TRY! Wigan Warriors (Pat Richards)
That is a dream try for Richards on his farewell appearance. He won't have had many easier tries than that either as he catches the ball a couple of yards from the try line and strolls over for the score that will surely give Wigan the victory here.
Just to cap it off, Richards slots a superb kick from the touchline to make it 30-16. They were 10 points behind at the halfway stage, so this has been a magnificent comeback from Wigan.
Wigan have scored 24 unanswered points in this second half, and they will become only the third side to have overturned a half time deficit in the Grand Final.
Matty Smith looks to add salt to the wound as he goes for a drop goal from close range, but he drags it wide and responds with a wry smile. The only thing that is missing from this second half performance by Wigan is a Sam Tomkins try.
FULL TIME: Warrington Wolves 16-30 Wigan Warriors
WIGAN WARRIORS WIN THE 2013 SUPER LEAGUE!
Wigan greet the final whistle with scenes of jubilation as they celebrate winning the 2013 Super League, completing a historic double for their side. Their exploits will be talked about for years to come, as will their second-half comeback as they scored 24 unanswered points to eventually run out 30-16 winners.
It is the perfect goodbye for the likes of Sam Tomkins and Pat Richards, while Blake Green has been named the man of the match having scored a try and being punched in the opening stages. What a day for him!
Wigan as a town has had a spectacular sporting year. In addition to the double of cup and league by the Warriors, Wigan Athletic won the FA Cup and the Wigan Warriors Under-19s also won their league this season. Both the present and future looks bright for the city!
As for Warrington, they will be asking exactly how they have lost this match. They scored three tries in six minutes in the first half and had a 14-point lead at one stage, but their mistakes started to mount and really let Wigan back into the match. That ultimately proved to be the difference as the Warriors went on to score 28 unanswered points to pull of a historic victory.
It is the third time that Wigan have won the Super League Grand Final having participated in it six times. Sam Tomkins, who is destined for New Zealand now in a world-record £700,000 move, has just hailed this match as the greatest of his career, and it is certainly one that will live long in the memory of Wigan.
Right, that's all we have time for tonight. Thank you very much for joining Sports Mole for an historic night of Super League rugby as Wigan beat Warrington 30-16 to seal the 2013 crown and complete the double. All eyes will now turn to the upcoming World Cup before the 2014 season eventually gets underway. Until then, it is goodbye!
