SUPER LEAGUE GRAND FINAL WARD CARRIES GREATS OF THE WORLD ON HIS BAD SHOULDER

Stevie helps Leeds to Grand Final glory just days after suffering an agonising dislocation

STEVIE WARD was well-prepared for playing in Saturday’s Grand Final just eight days after dislocating his shoulder – he used to cover it in bubble wrap to play through the pain as a kid.

The Leeds back-rower provided one of a dozen plot-lines on a dramatic night at Old Trafford, as the Rhinos lifted an eighth title in 14 seasons and runaway leaders Castleford froze on the big stage.

Captain Danny Mcguire headlined the act, scoring two tries and two drop goals in a masterful performance on his last outing for the club before joining Hull KR.

It meant that both he and long-term sidekick Rob Burrow, who now retires, brought the curtains down on their trophy-laden Rhinos’ careers in the perfect way.

Victory also completed a stunning turnaround in fortunes between the sides after the Tigers won their home league fixture against Leeds 66-10 in March.

That is before even mentioning the furore surrounding Castleford full-back Zak Hardaker, sensationally dropped for a breach of club rules on Thursday and sorely missed by Daryl Powell’s team.

But the bravery of Ward should also be heralded, having spent the previous Friday night in hospital unable to replace his damaged shoulder until the following morning.

Despite the injury, he was Leeds’ top tackler with 40 and carried the ball 12 times for a total of 95 metres.

Ward said: “It’s sore now – I couldn’t really feel it at the end of the game.

“I’ve played all my life with sore shoulders. I can remember playing for Churwell Chiefs at 11 years old and playing ‘Bulldogs’ at school I had dislocated my AC joint.

“Two weeks later I put pads on and put bubble wrap over my left shoulder and ended up playing against Featherstone Lions, so this is just another episode.”

Having missed the 2015 Grand Final through injury, Ward – a strong contender to succeed Mcguire as captain – was asked how he felt in the aftermath of his latest setback following the semi-final win over Hull.

He said: “There was moments in the early hours of Saturday morning I was giving in and moving on.

“I didn’t think I could go through another process, coming back from injury and missing a final – I knew I had to make the decision then on the Sunday.

“I picked my belief up and made the decision that I’d play and then everything came in around that.

“That mindset helped me pick it up this week to help play in a Grand Final and put a performance in.

“I had to make that choice and make that decision and it was just resilience as I didn’t want to miss another final.”

Mcguire was a unanimous Harry Sunderland Trophy winner as man of the match, collecting all 37 votes after setting up Tom Briscoe’s opener before scoring twice himself after the break.

Briscoe also completed a double before Alex Foster’s late response on a night of immense disappointment for Castleford.