Inside Wigan Warriors’ meticulous preparations for Super League Grand Final at Old Trafford

Wigan Warriors welcomed the media to the Brick Community Stadium on Thursday for an open training session as they ran through their final preparations ahead of their Super League Grand Final showdown against Hull KR on Saturday.

Matt Peet’s side went through a detailed final run-through at their home ground, with the club going above and beyond to make it as close to a Grand Final feel as you could possibly imagine.

With what was effectively a captain’s run – 13 on 13 – the Warriors walked out from the corner of the stadium from the left hand side, just as they will do at Old Trafford just minutes before the 6pm kick-off.

Members of Wigan’s backroom staff walked around the field with pyros ahead of kick-off, creating as close to the look they will get with the firework smoke that will descend on the hallowed Old Trafford turf on Saturday evening.

Other specifics included knowing where the families and friends of the players’ will be situated at the Theatre of Dreams, whilst music and chants blasted out from the PA systems at the Brick to help the players get as prepared and accustomed to the Grand Final environment as possible.

Also during the open training session, Peet’s trusted backroom staff walked around the pitch near the play-the-ball with speakers to try to replicate the noise that will be heard inside of Old Trafford, with more than 65,000 expected to be in attendance.

“It’s important; all the timings and knowing what to do on game day so you can sort of chill out and let it run its course,” said Wigan fullback Jai Field.

“It’s loud in there, and sometimes you can’t hear the guy next to you speak or they can’t hear you. Having that in the run through, it makes a big difference.

“It’s a big game, and hopefully it’s a sell-out. It’s going to be loud.”

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Hull KR’s preparations for the Super League Grand Final

Wigan’s opponents on Saturday, Hull KR, have also left no stone unturned in their preparations for their maiden Grand Final appearance.

The Robins held an open training session on Wednesday, their final full session before Saturday’s game. Supporters and the media – including Love Rugby League – were invited in, and there was a fascinating bit of detail any eagle-eyed attendee may have picked up on.

Anyone who has watched a Grand Final before will know all too well that the in-goal areas at Old Trafford are much shorter than a traditional Super League pitch and with a steep drop-off towards the stand after the pitch.

It means kicking becomes massively impacted, too, and Rovers deliberately shortened their own in-goal areas on the Craven Park pitch on Wednesday morning to prepare themselves for Old Trafford as best as possible.

The evidence comes from leading Hull KR podcast, The Robin Pod, on Twitter:

Grand Final preparations well underway at Craven Park.

Crazy how small the in goal areas are at Old Trafford. pic.twitter.com/XaxGosEhC3

— The 𝗥𝗼𝗯𝗶𝗻 𝗣𝗼𝗱 (@Robin_Pod) October 9, 2024

They re-marked their pitch to ensure their wingers and ball-players were accustomed to the change in length of such a vital part of the field. Who knows how crucial it could be come Saturday evening.

The lengths that both Wigan and Hull KR have gone to in their preparations may seem exaggerated to some: but this is elite sport – and in there are fine margins between winning and losing – especially in finals. Strap yourselves in for a Grand Final for the ages.

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