Revealed: The terrible state of Sam Tomkins’ knee ahead of Grand Final

Tonight’s Grand Final between Wigan Warriors and Catalans Dragons is all about one man: Sam Tomkins.

A legend of the Wigan club, his final game will be played against them as he looks to bow out as a Champion.

His retirement is because of a knee injury and on TalkSport he revealed just how bad his knee is revealing he is not physically capable of playing another year.

“It’s not physically possible. It’s my knee, I can’t repair it now. I would love to play another year, I really would,” he said.

“I can’t have 12 months off at 34 to give myself a chance, my knee is a sorry state.

“I only do 15-20 minutes per week on feet. I have a lot of people to thank to make it possible for me to get out there every week.

“But I’m done, it takes a lot for me to get out there now and I an amazed I have made it this far to be honest because I thought I would be a builder by now.

“I offered to retire after round three, as I have said, but I’m still here and for this to be my final game is very special to me.”

Wigan are chasing Super League title number six in their 12th Grand Final.

Catalans Dragons are becoming only the sixth team to reach Old Trafford twice or more after Leeds Rhinos, Warrington Wolves, Bradford Bulls, St Helens and of course their opponents tonight.

They are also aiming to become only the fifth team to be crowned Super League Champions and the first new name to pick up the Super League trophy since Leeds Rhinos defeated Bradford Bulls in 2004 with a 16-8 win.

That day was about new beginnings but today’s Grand Final feels like it is about endings as Sam Tomkins and Mitchell Pearce look to end their careers as Super League Champions.

Tomkins is up against the side where he made his name and starts at fullback with the team news now in.

Mitchell Pearce starts at seven whilst Wigan bound Adam Keighran will face off against his future club at centre.

The man he will be replacing, Warrington loanee Toby King, also starts at centre. As expected, Matt Peet sticks with Jai Field at fullback and Bevan French at stand-off alongside Harry Smith.

But the big call was always going to centre around Ethan Havard. The prop picked up a hamstring injury against Wakefield Trinity in July and has missed every game since but was a shock inclusion in the squad for the Grand Final with Cade Cust the player dropping out in the only change for the 21 squad going into the Grand Final.

Peet has chosen to risk Havard and he starts on the bench.

Joe Shorrocks is the 18th man meaning his hopes of playing in a Grand Final aren’t over.