Hull KR and Wigan Warriors’ major final records couldn’t be any different

Ben Olawumi
Wigan Warriors' World Club Challenge triumph 2024, Hull KR Challenge Cup lift 1980

Left: Wigan Warriors celebrate their World Club Challenge triumph in 2024 / Right: Hull KR captain Roger Millward lifts the Challenge Cup in 1980

Saturday’s Super League Grand Final truly is a story of David v Goliath where the history books are concerned, with serial winners Wigan Warriors facing off against new kids on the block in Hull KR.

This will be Wigan‘s 13th Grand Final appearance and second on the spin after featuring at Old Trafford last October, beating Catalans Dragons 10-2 to seal a sixth Super League title.

Hull KR meanwhile have never featured in a Super League Grand Final before, reaching new heights under Willie Peters in 2024 following a 2023 campaign which saw them reach a Challenge Cup final only to be beaten by Leigh Leopards.

Below, we’ve outlined how both Wigan and KR have fared in major finals over the years in competitions which are still active today.

So, that includes Super League Grand Finals, Challenge Cup Finals and World Club Challenges. The latter are, essentially, finals between the kings of Super League and the NRL – so we thought they deserved inclusion here.

As you’d probably expect, it’s very one-sided in terms of major finals played alone, but for Hull KR, their success rate in these finals isn’t exactly pleasant either.

Without further ado, the full breakdown…

LRL RECOMMENDS: 2024 Super League Grand Final attendance latest with major record expected to be set

Wigan Warriors – P: 55, W: 32, L:23 (58.18%)

Super League Grand Finals – Played: 12, Won: 6, Lost: 6

1998: Wigan 10-4 Leeds (W)

2000: St Helens 29-16 Wigan (L)

2001: Bradford 37-6 Wigan (L)

2003: Bradford 25-12 Wigan (L)

Ian Lenagan, Michael Maguire, Sean O'Loughlin - Wigan Warriors 2010 Super League Grand Final
From left to right: Former Wigan owner Ian Lenagan, then-head coach Michael Maguire and Sean O’Loughlin celebrate the Warriors’ Super League Grand Final triumph against St Helens in 2010

2010: Wigan 22-10 St Helens (W)

2013: Wigan 30-16 Warrington (W)

2014: St Helens 14-6 Wigan (L)

2015: Leeds 22-20 Wigan (L)

2016: Wigan 12-6 Warrington (W)

2018: Wigan 12-4 Warrington (W)

2020: St Helens 8-4 Wigan (L)

2023: Wigan 10-2 Catalans (W)

Challenge Cup Finals – Played: 34, Won: 21, Lost: 13

1911: Broughton Rangers 4-0 Wigan (L)

1920: Huddersfield 21-10 Wigan (L)

1924: Wigan 21-4 Oldham (W)

1929: Wigan 13-2 Dewsbury (W)

1944: Bradford 8-3 Wigan [on aggregate over two legs] (L)

1946: Wakefield 13-12 Wigan (L)

Wigan lift Challenge Cup 1948
Wigan captain Joe Egan holds the Challenge Cup aloft as he is carried by his team-mates after their victory against Bradford in the competition’s 1948 final

1948: Wigan 8-3 Bradford (W)

1951: Wigan 10-0 Barrow (W)

1958: Wigan 13-9 Workington Town (W)

1959: Wigan 30-13 Hull FC (W)

1961: St Helens 12-6 Wigan (L)

1963: Wakefield 25-10 Wigan (L)

1965: Wigan 20-16 Hunslet (W)

1966: St Helens 21-2 Wigan (L)

1970: Castleford 7-2 Wigan (L)

1984: Widnes 19-6 Wigan (L)

1985: Wigan 28-24 Hull FC (W)

1988: Wigan 32-12 Halifax (W)

1989: Wigan 27-0 St Helens (W)

Wigan lift Challenge Cup 1990
Ellery Hanley (left) holds the Challenge Cup aloft following Wigan’s triumph against Warrington in the competition’s 1990 final

1990: Wigan 36-14 Warrington (W)

1991: Wigan 13-8 St Helens (W)

1992: Wigan 28-12 Castleford (W)

1993: Wigan 20-14 Widnes (W)

1994: Wigan 26-16 Leeds (W)

1995: Wigan 30-10 Leeds (W)

1998: Sheffield 17-8 Wigan (L)

2002: Wigan 21-12 St Helens (W)

2004: St Helens 32-16 Wigan

2011: Wigan 28-18 Leeds (W)

2013: Wigan 16-0 Hull FC (W)

2017: Hull FC 18-14 Wigan (L)

2022: Wigan 16-14 Huddersfield (W)

2024: Wigan 18-8 Warrington (W)

World Club Challenges – Played: 9, Won: 5, Lost: 4

1987: Wigan 8-2 Manly Sea Eagles (W)

1991: Wigan 21-4 Penrith Panthers (W)

1992: Brisbane Broncos 22-8 Wigan (L)

1994: Wigan 20-14 Brisbane Broncos (W)

2011: St George Illawarra Dragons 21-15 Wigan (L)

2014: Sydney Roosters 36-14 Wigan (L)

2017: Wigan 22-6 Cronulla Sharks (W)

2019: Sydney Roosters 20-8 Wigan (L)

2024: Wigan 16-12 Penrith Panthers (W)

LRL RECOMMENDS: Wigan Warriors coach Matt Peet pays ultimate compliment to Hull KR and counterpart Willie Peters ahead of 2024 Super League Grand Final

Hull KR – P: 8, W: 1, L:7 (12.5%)

Super League Grand Finals – Played: 0, Won: 0, Lost: 0

None played

Challenge Cup Finals – Played: 8, Won: 1, Lost: 7

1905: Warrington 6-0 Hull KR (L)

1925: Oldham 16-3 Hull KR (L)

1965: Widnes 13-5 Hull KR (L)

Hull KR lift Challenge Cup 1980
Hull KR captain Roger Millward lifts the Challenge Cup in 1980 following their success in the competition’s final against rivals Hull FC. This remains the Robins’ only win in the final of a major competition still being played today.

1980: Hull KR 10-5 Hull FC (W)

1981: Widnes 18-9 Hull KR (L)

1986: Castleford 15-14 Hull KR (L)

2015: Leeds 50-0 Hull KR (L)

2023: Leigh 17-16 Hull KR (L)

World Club Challenges – Played: 0, Won: 0, Lost: 0

None played

LRL RECOMMENDS: Huge World Club Challenge update as Penrith Panthers make decision on event’s future in 2025

Facts & Stats Hull KR

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