Liam Moore’s Grand Final performance branded “phenomenal”

Wigan Warriors defeated Catalans Dragons to claim the Super League title last night.

Rightly a lot of focus will go on Wigan’s star men for delivering the title as well as coach Matt Peet.

But you can’t have a game without an official and Liam Moore took charge for the third year in a row.

He had some big calls to make but he made them and after the game on Talksport Paul Cooke was full of praise he said: “I thought Liam Moore was absolutely phenomenal tonight, he was brilliant and got every decision spot on.

“After the game we are not talking about the referee and there is a reason for that, because he didn’t make any mistakes.

“For me he is a outstanding referee. You think referees in football get grief, well in rugby league it’s even worse.

“But Liam Moore is a decent fella and great referee and nobody will give him credit for it, but tonight he handled the occasion and the match exceptionally well.”

It was the most apt Grand Final as Wigan chased a sixth Super League title and Catalans Dragons battled to become the first new team since 2004 to lift the Super League trophy.

Their appearance at Old Trafford made history itself as they became only the sixth different team to reach more than on Grand Final after Leeds Rhinos, Warrington Wolves, Bradford Bulls and St Helens as well as their opponents Wigan Warriors.

Thus, it was posed to be a historic Grand Final in which former Wigan star Sam Tomkins was set to play a huge role in what was his final ever game before retirement.

It was clear that we were set for a historic Grand Final in the opening exchanges with some big hits from both sides.

Siosiua Taukeiaho laid down an immediate marker with a big hit on Abbas Miski.

We saw a couple of close calls namely when Tyrone May carved through and kicked ahead for Tom Johnstone.

But the ball ran dead just before Johnstone could reach it or indeed before it bounced back and hit Field.

Then the big moment as Adam Keighran was sin binned. Keighran, who will join Wigan in 2024 to replace Toby King, lifted the man he will replace into a dangerous tackle.

King landed on his shoulder saving him from a red card. But he was still sin binned becoming only the second player to be sin binned in a Grand Final after Tommy Makinson for St Helens against the Dragons in 2021.

The decision came from video referee Chris Kendall and straight after it appeared that Wigan were about to score as Liam Farrell twisted and turned his way through a tackle.

But Sam Tomkins was on hand to deny the try and he repeated the feat again.

Wigan eventually took the lead when Catalans were down a man with a penalty from Harry Smith.

After surviving with 12 men the Dragons had a few wild moments with the ball down their left. Wigan withstood the pressure but eventually a penalty allowed Keighran to level matters.

Just before the break, a brilliant Jai Field break seemed set to deliver a try but Tom Johnstone produced a sensational try saving tackle to deny him. He was then on hand to gather a chip over the top before a brutal collision with the advertising boards.

At the start of the second half, Wigan started like a whirlwind. They broke down the right with Toby King with great cover defence stopping them.

Then another massive moment as Wigan broke down the left via Jake Wardle. He was tackled by Sam Tomkins but the defensive effort cost Catalans Tom Davies who was sin binned for holding Liam Marshall back.

The big attacks kept coming from Wigan with Jai Field breaking from deep and combining with Wardle and Farrell before breaking again but his offload to Bevan French who went in for a try was deemed forward.

But Wigan were not deterred and again the pace of Jai Field would prove decisive as he created the space for Jake Wardle to break yet again. This time he offloaded to Liam Farrell whose decisive offload gave the ball to Liam Marshall to score.

Then, crucially, Keighran was penalised for a high tackle on Tyler Dupree and Harry Smith extended the lead out to 10-2.