The five greatest Super League Grand Finals

We are all waiting for Saturday’s Grand Final between Wigan Warriors and Catalans Dragons which will be the 26th chapter of Super League Grand Final history.

We have had 25 years of brilliant Grand Finals in the past with Leeds Rhinos, Bradford Bulls and St Helens dominating them alongside Wigan.

But of the previous 25, which deciders make the top five Grand Finals ever?

5. Leeds 32-16 St Helens 2011
Home to what most consider the greatest Grand Final try in history as Burrow tore apart the St Helens defence as well as its underappreciated sequel as the Rhinos number 7 again carved open the Saints to tee up Ryan Hall, this was a Grand Final full of superb examples of rugby league. Don’t let the score line fool you. This was a tight Grand Final with St Helens leading 16-8 with 17 minutes to go before Leeds produced the best 17 minutes of Grand Final rugby ever to blast past the Saints in one of the most exciting Grand Finals of all time.

4. St Helens 8-6 Bradford 1999
Complete with an amazing try and a dramatic video referee decision, this Grand Final had everything. Tight enough to still have fans biting their nails in the last minute but also with enough amazing moments for it to live long in the memory. Henry Paul’s try is only bettered by Burrow’s 12 years later and Leon Pryce’s disallowed try would’ve likely seen the Bulls crowned Champions but for the smallest of Michael Withers’ knock ons. That was one of many close calls in a game that could’ve easily ended 28-26 instead of 8-6 if not for some great defence.

3. St Helens 8-4 Wigan 2020
This Grand Final was special. Despite the lack of fans and the change of location to Hull’s MKM Stadium, it quickly became one of the greats. The ending aside, it was perhaps the best Grand Final every from a defensive point of view with neither side willing to give an inch. Even though it only featured two tries, it was full of big moments and big decisions and is the closest we’ve ever come to golden point in the title decider. The last minute winner will live on forever as an amazing moment but the lack of attacking quality keeps this one outside the top two.

2. Leeds 22-20 Wigan 2015
Want a Grand Final full of stories, this is the one for you. With three legends set to retire, Leeds were pursing the treble. It had been a dramatic journey to the Theatre of Dreams for the Rhinos and many doubted whether a battered and bruised Leeds team could claim a 7^th Super League title and send the likes of Sinfield out on a high. Burgess scored a sublime opener for Wigan but McGuire’s second topped that as Leeds scored one of the great team tries in Old Trafford history. That was after Moon’s controversial score had given Leeds the lead. Wigan battled back from 10 points down but were denied by a try from an unlikely source – Josh Walters. At 22-20 with 15 minutes to go the game remained on a knife edge with plenty of close calls until Ryan Hall mopped up Wigan’s probing kick in the final play to secure the treble.

1. St Helens 19-18 Bradford 2002
No Grand Final has ever been closer than this one. This was the Grand Final of its era as Super League’s early dominant forces butted heads in the rematch of the closely fought 1999 decider. This was even better with six very good tries and a dramatic late drop goal to give St Helens the win. But that wasn’t the end of the drama as some still believe Bradford should’ve been awarded a penalty for a voluntary tackle from Saints skipper Chris Joynt. The penalty wasn’t awarded and St Helens clung on denying Bradford revenge by the smallest of margins.