Super League: Greatest Grand Final Moments

The Super League season climaxes on Saturday when Wigan Warriors and Catalans Dragons take to the pitch at Old Trafford with their eyes on Grand Final glory. Here's five of the greatest Grand Final moments in Super League history.

Withers fits the bill for Bulls

The previous 25 editions of the Grand Final have been littered with moments of magic and controversy, villains and heroes. 

And the fixture's first real hero was Mick Withers, the Bradford Bulls full-back who set a record in the 2001 final against Wigan, which has yet to be matched. 

It was Bradford's second trip to the final – they had lost the first two years earlier – and despite the Yorkshire side being ultra-consistent, they were considered by some to be chokers on the big occasion. 

But not in 2001 at Old Trafford. Not only did they win but they did so by the biggest margin in the fixture's history, crushing the Warriors 37-6 with Aussie Withers bagging a hat-trick, the first, and so far only, Grand Final try treble.

Rhinos lay on fitting send off for Sinfield and co

There was barely a dry eye in the house when Leeds sent three of their modern-day greats into retirement with winners' medals in 2015. 

Going into the showdown against Wigan, Rhinos' legends Kevin Sinfield, Jamie Peacock and Kylie Leuluai had announced this would be their last game for a club they had served with real distinction. 

And they, and every Leeds player on that pitch, made sure the trio went out on a high, Leeds winning an absolute thriller 22-20 in front of a record crowd of over 73,000. 

And it was fitting that skipper Sinfield kicked the match-winning goal before going on to lift the trophy as Leeds became the first club for nine years to win the domestic treble.

Flower's red-card folly decides Warriors' 2014 fate

Surely the most infamous Grand Final moment came just two minutes into the 2014 Grand Final between Wigan and St Helens when Warriors' prop Ben Flower was sent off for throwing a punch. 

Heaven knows what came over Flower when he poleaxed Saints' scrum-half Lance Hohaia and then hit him again while on the ground. 

The Welshman's moment of madness provoked the inevitable mass brawl and left referee Phil Bentham with no alternative but to show Flower a red card. 

It was the first – and so far only – red card shown in a Grand Final and left Wigan with 78 minutes to try to fend off Saints. 

The Warriors valiantly led 6-2 at the break but faded late on with their rivals running out 14-6 winners.

Welsby's hooter heroics break Wigan hearts

From the infamous to the almost unbelievable in 2020 when 19-year-old Jack Welsby, the youngest man on the pitch, snatched victory for Saints after the hooter against Wigan. 

The bitter rivals were locked at 4-4 and with a golden point looming, Saints' Tommy Makinson tried his luck with a long-range drop goal. 

His effort smacked off the post and the alert Welsby was quickest to the bouncing ball to drop on it over the line, cueing wild scenes of celebration. 

"You couldn't write it, could you," beamed the teenager. The only shame is Welsby's moment of magic was played out in front of an empty KC Stadium in Hull.

The case of the phantom knock on

It was Withers' tale which started this trip down Grand Final memory lane, and we'll finish with another one featuring the Bulls' ace – though this didn't turn out quite so well for the Australian. 

Grand Finals are full of controversial calls by the officials and that was certainly the case when Bradford had a try ruled out against St Helens in 1999. 

Saints were attacking but Withers intercepted, racing away to set up 18-year-old Leon Pryce to go in under the posts. 

Referee Stuart Cummings wanted to go upstairs to check if Withers had knocked on while intercepting. 

Video replays seemed to favour Withers yet the decision was "no try" and it proved a massive decision with St Helens going on to win 8-6.