Jake Wardle’s transformed attempt proved the distinction as Wigan snatched a dramatic 16-12 victory over Penrith.
Having been on the again foot early on, the Warriors took the lead within the ninth minute as final season’s main try-scorer Abbas Miski completed out extensive for an unconverted attempt, though Nathan Cleary put the Panthers forward with a transformed rating on 27 minutes.
Wigan hit again by means of Kruise Leeming, but it was the NRL champions who led 12-10 at half-time because of a transformed Dylan Edwards attempt. Nevertheless, centre Wardle’s transformed attempt restored the lead within the second half after the video referee deemed he had grounded the ball whereas being tackled.
There was drama proper to the final although because the video referee was known as to adjudicate on whether or not Taylan Could had scored on the final play of the sport, however dominated there was inadequate proof to overturn the on-field name of ‘no attempt’ to see Wigan topped membership world champions for a fifth time.
Story of the sport
It was an evening for Wigan so as to add to their checklist of earlier title wins – the latest of which got here in 2017 – and all of which had been recalled in a pre-match presentation that noticed representatives of all 4 of these illustrious sides parading their silverware.
But the Warriors’ glory night time started in ignominious vogue when Willie Isa spilled the ball on the sting of his personal 10 within the opening set, however with inexperienced Penrith stand-off Jack Cole nonetheless discovering his ft, the hosts survived the early onslaught.
Of their first foray ahead after 10 minutes, Jai Subject took benefit of a repeat set to jink contained in the guests’ hazard zone and the ball was dispatched out to the suitable when Bevan French despatched Lebanon worldwide Miski over within the nook.
With Cole’s confidence rising in solely his second top-level begin, the Panthers responded with extra stress, Brian To’o held up inches from the road on the final, and Moses Leota fumbling one other effective alternative.
Penrith’s leveller arrived simply earlier than the half-hour mark by means of Cleary, whose preliminary kick was flapped at by Miski, permitting Cole to feed the skilled scrum-half to dart over and subsequently convert to offer the Australian aspect a two-point lead.
Simply as Penrith’s pace and stress appeared to be making a distinction, Wigan dredged up one other response, once more down the suitable flank the place Adam Keighran discovered Miski and he despatched the ball in-field by means of Isa for Leeming to complete.
Smith’s conversion from below the posts gave Wigan a four-point lead however their opponents responded on the stroke of half-time when vigorous full-back Dylan Edwards flopped over in a repeat set, Cleary having the final say of the primary half besides his aspect right into a two-point interval lead.
Australia worldwide Cleary continued to orchestrate Penrith’s assault firstly of the second half, his cleverness nearly sending Sunia Turuva within the nook, however once more Wigan withstood a troublesome spell and got here again firing as Wardle twisted over to revive Wigan’s slender lead after 55 minutes.
Smith’s second-successful conversion put Wigan again 4 factors within the clear and there have been indicators of frustration creeping into the Penrith ranks as Cleary, of all folks, fumbled a possibility after Isaah Yeo broke the road.
The hosts clung on because the clock ticked down, Subject racing over for a shocking last-ditch deal with that dumped Could into contact after the Penrith centre burst clear and seemed a close to certainty to stage the scores.
French thought he had all-but gained it when he raced onto a Smith kick with eight minutes left on the clock, just for Wigan’s celebrations to be minimize quick by an offside name.
The house aspect had been pressured to dwell on their nerves within the closing moments as Cole barged shut then Could crashed over within the nook because the hooter sounded, forcing Wigan into an agonising wait till their well-known victory was secured.
As Wigan celebrated the big-screen verdict, the agony was evident on the face of Cleary, who couldn’t forestall his aspect, all-but three of whom additionally began within the golden-point loss to St Helens final yr, failing of their quest to land the trophy for the primary time.
What they stated
Wigan’s Bevan French, who was named participant of the match:
“I don’t think you can sum it up – it was crazy. We knew it was going to be tough, but I wasn’t expecting it to go down to the last second.
“I am relieved after that final deal with – I do not know learn how to clarify it.”
Wigan head coach Matt Peet, who has now won every trophy available in only his third season:
“The gamers have achieved it, I have never achieved it, and I am blessed to work with this lot. I like working with them.
“Tonight, off the field and on the field, is the culmination of a lot of hard work and we have to do it again and again now.
“It is not nearly profitable trophies, however packing this place out and standing for one thing.”
Penrith Panthers head coach Ivan Cleary:
“I am unable to actually take something away from our boys. I believed they performed nicely by way of area place and creating probabilities, we simply could not truly do in addition to they did.
“They were down our end three times and scored three times and that’s not something we pride ourselves on, but they executed better than we did and tonight that was enough.”
What’s subsequent?
Wigan Warriors return to Tremendous League motion on Friday, March 1 once they face Huddersfield Giants on the DW Stadium in match which is dwell on Sky Sports activities Enviornment (8pm kick-off). Penrith Panthers start their quest for a fourth-straight NRL title away to Melbourne Storm, dwell on Sky Sports activities Enviornment, on Friday, March 8 (9.05am kick-off).
Watch each match of the 2024 Tremendous League season, together with Rivals Spherical, Magic Weekend, the play-offs, and males’s, ladies’s, and wheelchair Grand Finals, dwell on Sky Sports activities. Stream rugby league and extra of sport contract-free with NOW.