Grand final glory for Leuluai
Former Kiwi Thomas Leuluai says winning his second Super League grand final crown – eight years after his first – caps an ‘‘emotionally and physically tough season’’.
Just hours after his former Kiwis team-mates upset Australia in Auckland, the 33-year-old helped the Wigan Warriors to a 12-4 win over Warrington in the grand final at Manchester United’s Old Trafford ground yesterday.
Leuluai – man of the match in Wigan’s 2010 grand final win – forged a fine halves combination with George Williams as Wigan ground out a hard-earned victory in the final game for coach Shaun Wane and ex-New Zealand Warriors fullback Sam Tomkins.
The veteran playmaker said in a post-match television interview that it had been ‘‘an emotional couple of weeks, saying goodbye to so many people’’.
"[I’m] just drained, really, to be honest. It’s been, emotionally and physically, a tough season but I’m really happy for the people who are leaving – some are really good friends of mine – that they got to go out on this note.’’
Leuluai, who also won a Challenge Cup final in 2011 with Wigan, said the Warriors ‘‘just hung in there’’ in the second spell after establishing a 8-4 halftime lead.
‘‘We put them to bed at the end when the class of Sam Tomkins came through. I’m so happy for him, what he’s done for this club.’’
Warrington grabbed the lead in the 13th minute when wing Josh Charnley – who returned to rugby league in mid-season after a stint with English rugby union club Sale – scored in the corner after an offload by man of the match fullback Stefan Ratchford.
Wigan equalised in the 26th minute through wing Dominic Manfredi after Oliver Gildart darted through the Warrington defence.
Leuluai’s halves partner Williams set up Wigan’s second try five minutes later with a deft kick for Sam Davies to score in the corner.
Tomkins could not convert but Wigan led 8-4 at the break.
Wane’s well-drilled team shut Warrington out in the second spell with suffocating defence.
Wigan ensured Wane – off to a high performance role with the Scottish Rugby Union, Tomkins (bound for the Catalans Dragons) and England second row John Bateman (Canberra Raiders) – departed as champions when Manfredi snared his second try in the 77th minute.
Tomkins, who had earlier missed a longrange penalty attempt, floated a cutout pass to give Manfredi – playing only his fifth game after two years on the sidelines with injuries – space to score in the corner.
Toby King seemed set to score a late consolation for Warrington, but a video replay revealed he had fumbled the ball over the line.
Wane choked back the tears as he hailed his team’s defensive effort ‘‘against a champion Warrington team’’.
Warrington coach Steve Price said Wigan’s defence was outstanding.
Former NZ Warrior Bodene Thompson and Auckland-born ex-NRL player Ben MurdochMasila were part of a Warrington team that suffered its second grand final defeat of the season after losing to the Catalans Dragons in the Challenge Cup final at Wembley in August.