Wane won’t allow Wigan staff to watch Grand Final

Wigan head coach Shaun Wane will work through this evening’s Super League Grand Final along with the rest of his staff.

The Warriors failure to make the top four means they will not be appearing at the Theatre of Dreams for the first time since 2012.

Having defeated Warrington at Old Trafford in last year’s Grand Final, the defending champions can only watch on in envy tonight as Castleford and Leeds do battle.

However, Wane and his staff won’t even be doing that as the Warriors coaches work through the weekend reviewing this season’s shortcomings.

Speaking to Wigan Today, Wane said: “We’re going to work through the final, and try and find ways of making us better. I’ve got staff who want to watch the game, but we’ll work through.”

Whether this tactic of avoiding the season’s finale will motivate his staff remains to be seen, but by 8pm this evening Wigan’s Super League crown will belong to someone in West Yorkshire.

Having coped with a major injury list for much of the season, the Warriors late revival wasn’t enough as they ended the season in sixth place.

Their Challenge Cup final defeat to Hull in late August motivated the team to try defend their league title, but consecutive defeats to Castleford and Wakefield saw them miss out on the play-offs.

Wane added: “It will hurt me – it hurts that we’re not involved (in the Grand Final), I wanted to be there and we’re not – and it will hurt my staff. But we’ve got to get better.”