Super League Grand Final
Encyclopedia
The Super League Grand Final (commonly referred to as the Grand Final) is the championship-deciding game of the Super League
rugby league
football competition. The game is played between two teams who have qualified via a play-off structure, the teams who compete in these play-offs having been decided by the league positions after the end of the regular season's weekly rounds.
Use of a play-off system to decide the Championship brought back a rugby league
tradition. The Super League Premiership
, which had previously taken place between the highest placed teams in the competition, was discontinued as the purpose of its original incarnation had been to take the place of the previous Championship-deciding play-off system.
The Super League Grand Final was introduced for the 1998 season
. The inaugural Grand Final match was played that year on Saturday 24 October, between Wigan Warriors
and Leeds Rhinos
. The venue of every Super League Grand Final to date has been Old Trafford, Manchester
.
The Harry Sunderland Trophy
is the award given to the man-of-the-match in the Grand Final.
Most Wins: - Leeds (5), St Helens (4), Bradford (3), Wigan (2)
Super League
Super League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
football competition. The game is played between two teams who have qualified via a play-off structure, the teams who compete in these play-offs having been decided by the league positions after the end of the regular season's weekly rounds.
Use of a play-off system to decide the Championship brought back a rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
tradition. The Super League Premiership
Rugby League Premiership
The Rugby League Premiership was a competition for British rugby league clubs that operated between 1973 and 1995. As the Super League Premiership the competition continued to operate until 1997....
, which had previously taken place between the highest placed teams in the competition, was discontinued as the purpose of its original incarnation had been to take the place of the previous Championship-deciding play-off system.
The Super League Grand Final was introduced for the 1998 season
Super League III
-Dream Team:The Super League Dream Team for the 1998 season was: 1 Kris Radlinski 2 Jason Robinson 3 Gary Connolly 4 ? 5 Anthony Sullivan 6 Iestyn Harris 7 Gavin Clinch 8 Dale Laughton 9 Robbie McCormack 10 ? 11 Steele Retchless 12 ? 13 ?-External links:**...
. The inaugural Grand Final match was played that year on Saturday 24 October, between Wigan Warriors
Wigan Warriors
Wigan Warriors is an English rugby league club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester. The club's first team squad competes in the engage Super League and the team are the current Challenge Cup holders as of the 27th August 2011....
and Leeds Rhinos
Leeds Rhinos
Leeds Rhinos is an English professional rugby league football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. The club won the 2011 Super League and became the most successful club in the Super League era, beating St Helens 32-16 on 8th October 2011. Formed in 1890, Leeds competes in Europe's Super League...
. The venue of every Super League Grand Final to date has been Old Trafford, Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
.
The Harry Sunderland Trophy
Harry Sunderland Trophy
The Harry Sunderland Trophy is awarded to the Man-of-the-Match in the Super League Grand Final by the Rugby League Writers' Association. It is named after Harry Sunderland, who was an Australian rugby league football administrator in both Australia and the United Kingdom...
is the award given to the man-of-the-match in the Grand Final.
Results
| Super League | Year | Winners | Score | Runner-up | Attendance | Venue | Harry Sunderland Trophy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| III Super League III -Dream Team:The Super League Dream Team for the 1998 season was: 1 Kris Radlinski 2 Jason Robinson 3 Gary Connolly 4 ? 5 Anthony Sullivan 6 Iestyn Harris 7 Gavin Clinch 8 Dale Laughton 9 Robbie McCormack 10 ? 11 Steele Retchless 12 ? 13 ?-External links:**... |
1998 1998 Super League Grand Final The 1998 JJB Super League Grand Final was the first Grand Final of the Super League era, held on Saturday 24 October 1998, at Old Trafford, Manchester, United Kingdom. This was the first time the Rugby Football League Championship had been decided by play-off since the 1972–73 Rugby Football League... |
Wigan Warriors Wigan Warriors Wigan Warriors is an English rugby league club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester. The club's first team squad competes in the engage Super League and the team are the current Challenge Cup holders as of the 27th August 2011.... |
10–4 | Leeds Rhinos Leeds Rhinos Leeds Rhinos is an English professional rugby league football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. The club won the 2011 Super League and became the most successful club in the Super League era, beating St Helens 32-16 on 8th October 2011. Formed in 1890, Leeds competes in Europe's Super League... |
43,533 | Old Trafford Old Trafford Old Trafford commonly refers to two sporting arenas:* Old Trafford, home of Manchester United F.C.* Old Trafford Cricket Ground, home of Lancashire County Cricket ClubOld Trafford can also refer to:... |
Jason Robinson Jason Robinson Jason Thorpe Robinson OBE is an English former international rugby union and rugby league player of the 1990s and 2000s. Playing at wing or fullback, he won fifty-one rugby union international test caps in total for England, and in rugby league he won twelve caps for Great Britain and seven for... (Wigan) |
| IV Super League IV -End of season mergers:Huddersfield managed to avoid relegation again despite finishing bottom due to the merger with Sheffield Eagles to form Huddersfield-Sheffield Giants. Also at the end of this season Gateshead Thunder and Hull Sharks were merged to form Hull F.C... |
1999 1999 Super League Grand Final The 1999 Super League Grand Final was held on Saturday 9 October 1999, at Old Trafford, Manchester, UK. The game was played between St Helens and Bradford Bulls.-Route to final:Regular Season Final Standings-Bradford Bulls:... |
St Helens | 8–6 | Bradford Bulls Bradford Bulls Bradford Bulls is a professional rugby league club based in the city of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. They play in the European Super League and are currently joint 10th in the league.... |
50,717 | Old Trafford Old Trafford Old Trafford commonly refers to two sporting arenas:* Old Trafford, home of Manchester United F.C.* Old Trafford Cricket Ground, home of Lancashire County Cricket ClubOld Trafford can also refer to:... |
Henry Paul Henry Paul Henry Paul , is a dual code rugby international. Paul has previously represented New Zealand in rugby league and England in rugby union XV's and 7's. He currently holds the world record for the most consecutive kicks on the field.Paul's usual position is loose forward/Lock. He can also operate in... (Bradford) |
| V Super League V -Wide to West:St Helens, who finished second in the regular season table, hosted Bradford Bulls for the qualifying play-off in week one of the play-offs. One of Super League's most well known tries was scored in the final seconds of the match. Bradford led the game 11–10 into the final minute when,... |
2000 2000 Super League Grand Final The 2000 Super League Grand Final was held on Saturday 14 October 2000, at Old Trafford, Manchester, England. The game was played between St Helens and Wigan Warriors. Wigan wore blue for the encounter and St Helens wore their traditional red and white. The match was refereed by Russell Smith of... |
St Helens | 29–16 | Wigan Warriors Wigan Warriors Wigan Warriors is an English rugby league club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester. The club's first team squad competes in the engage Super League and the team are the current Challenge Cup holders as of the 27th August 2011.... |
58,132 | Old Trafford Old Trafford Old Trafford commonly refers to two sporting arenas:* Old Trafford, home of Manchester United F.C.* Old Trafford Cricket Ground, home of Lancashire County Cricket ClubOld Trafford can also refer to:... |
Chris Joynt Chris Joynt Chris M. Joynt is an English former professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. A Great Britain international representative , and /, he played his club football with St... (St Helens) |
| VI Super League VI Tetley's Super League VI was the official name for the year 2001's Super League championship season, the 107th season of top-level professional rugby league football in Britain, and the sixth championship run by Super League... |
2001 2001 Super League Grand Final The 2001 Super League Grand Final was held on Saturday 13 October 2001, at Old Trafford, Manchester, UK. The game was contested by Bradford Bulls and Wigan Warriors.Referee: Stuart Cummings Attendance: 60,164... |
Bradford Bulls Bradford Bulls Bradford Bulls is a professional rugby league club based in the city of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. They play in the European Super League and are currently joint 10th in the league.... |
37–6 | Wigan Warriors Wigan Warriors Wigan Warriors is an English rugby league club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester. The club's first team squad competes in the engage Super League and the team are the current Challenge Cup holders as of the 27th August 2011.... |
60,164 | Old Trafford Old Trafford Old Trafford commonly refers to two sporting arenas:* Old Trafford, home of Manchester United F.C.* Old Trafford Cricket Ground, home of Lancashire County Cricket ClubOld Trafford can also refer to:... |
Michael Withers Michael Withers Michael Withers is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s who represented at international level for Ireland. He played club football in Australia for the Balmain Tigers of the National Rugby League, and in England with Wigan Warriors and Bradford Bulls of... (Bradford) |
| VII Super League VII Tetley's Super League VII was the official name for the year 2002's Super League championship season, the 108th season of top-level professional rugby league held in Britain, and the seventh championship run by Super League... |
2002 2002 Super League Grand Final The 2002 Super League Grand Final was held on Saturday 19 October 2002, at Old Trafford, Manchester, UK. The game was played between St Helens and Bradford Bulls.Referee: Russell Smith Attendance: 61,138... |
St Helens | 19–18 | Bradford Bulls Bradford Bulls Bradford Bulls is a professional rugby league club based in the city of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. They play in the European Super League and are currently joint 10th in the league.... |
61,138 | Old Trafford Old Trafford Old Trafford commonly refers to two sporting arenas:* Old Trafford, home of Manchester United F.C.* Old Trafford Cricket Ground, home of Lancashire County Cricket ClubOld Trafford can also refer to:... |
Paul Deacon Paul Deacon Paul Deacon is a retired rugby league footballer. He previously played for Bradford Bulls from 1998 until joining his hometown club Wigan Warriors in 2010... (Bradford) |
| VIII Super League VIII Tetley's Super League VIII was the official name for the year 2003's Super League championship season, the 110th season of top-level professional rugby league held in Britain, and the eighth championship run by Super League.... |
2003 2003 Super League Grand Final The 2003 Super League Grand Final was held on Saturday 18 October 2003, at Old Trafford, Manchester, UK. The game was played between Bradford Bulls and Wigan Warriors.Referee: Karl Kirkpatrick Attendance: 65,537... |
Bradford Bulls Bradford Bulls Bradford Bulls is a professional rugby league club based in the city of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. They play in the European Super League and are currently joint 10th in the league.... |
25–12 | Wigan Warriors Wigan Warriors Wigan Warriors is an English rugby league club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester. The club's first team squad competes in the engage Super League and the team are the current Challenge Cup holders as of the 27th August 2011.... |
65,537 | Old Trafford Old Trafford Old Trafford commonly refers to two sporting arenas:* Old Trafford, home of Manchester United F.C.* Old Trafford Cricket Ground, home of Lancashire County Cricket ClubOld Trafford can also refer to:... |
Stuart Reardon Stuart Reardon Stuart Reardon is an English professional rugby league footballer who is currently playing for AS Carcassonne in the French Elite One Championship. He plays as a fullback, wing or centre... (Bradford) |
| IX Super League IX -Television:Live Super League IX matches were broadcast in the United Kingdom by Sky Sports in the first year of a new five-year television deal. The contract was signed less than three weeks before the start of the season. The deal, worth £53 million, represented a 15 percent, or £7 million,... |
2004 2004 Super League Grand Final The 2004 Super League Grand Final was held on Saturday 16 October 2004, at Old Trafford, Manchester, UK. The game was played between Leeds Rhinos, who finished top of the league after the 28 weekly rounds, and Bradford Bulls, who finished second after the weekly rounds.-Route to final:Regular... |
Leeds Rhinos Leeds Rhinos Leeds Rhinos is an English professional rugby league football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. The club won the 2011 Super League and became the most successful club in the Super League era, beating St Helens 32-16 on 8th October 2011. Formed in 1890, Leeds competes in Europe's Super League... |
16–8 | Bradford Bulls Bradford Bulls Bradford Bulls is a professional rugby league club based in the city of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. They play in the European Super League and are currently joint 10th in the league.... |
65,537 | Old Trafford Old Trafford Old Trafford commonly refers to two sporting arenas:* Old Trafford, home of Manchester United F.C.* Old Trafford Cricket Ground, home of Lancashire County Cricket ClubOld Trafford can also refer to:... |
Matt Diskin Matt Diskin Matt Diskin is an English professional rugby league footballer for the Bradford Bulls of Super League. A Great Britain and England international representative hooker, he played ten years with Leeds Rhinos, having won four Super League championships with the club, before moving to the Bulls for the... (Leeds) |
| X Super League X engage Super League X is the official name of 2005's Super League season. It was the 10th season of Super League and saw twelve teams from across England compete for the premiership. The season kicked off in early February, culminating in a six team play-off seriesThe Grand Final, held at Old... |
2005 2005 Super League Grand Final The 2005 Super League Grand Final was held on Saturday 15 October 2005, at Old Trafford, Manchester, England. The game was played between Bradford Bulls, who finished 3rd in the league after the 28 weekly rounds, and Leeds Rhinos, who finished second after the weekly rounds.-Route to final:Regular... |
Bradford Bulls Bradford Bulls Bradford Bulls is a professional rugby league club based in the city of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. They play in the European Super League and are currently joint 10th in the league.... |
15–6 | Leeds Rhinos Leeds Rhinos Leeds Rhinos is an English professional rugby league football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. The club won the 2011 Super League and became the most successful club in the Super League era, beating St Helens 32-16 on 8th October 2011. Formed in 1890, Leeds competes in Europe's Super League... |
65,537 | Old Trafford Old Trafford Old Trafford commonly refers to two sporting arenas:* Old Trafford, home of Manchester United F.C.* Old Trafford Cricket Ground, home of Lancashire County Cricket ClubOld Trafford can also refer to:... |
Leon Pryce Leon Pryce Leon Pryce is an English professional rugby league footballer of Jamaican descent for the St. Helens club of Super League... (Bradford) |
| XI Super League XI Engage Super League XI was the official name for the year 2006's Super League season in the sport of rugby league in Europe. Bradford Bulls were looking to retain the title they won in Super League X.... |
2006 2006 Super League Grand Final The 2006 Super League Grand Final was the conclusive and championship-deciding game of Super League XI. Held on Saturday, 14 October at Manchester's Old Trafford ground, the game was played between St Helens, who finished top of the league after the 28 weekly rounds, and Hull, who finished second... |
St Helens | 26–4 | Hull | 72,582 | Old Trafford Old Trafford Old Trafford commonly refers to two sporting arenas:* Old Trafford, home of Manchester United F.C.* Old Trafford Cricket Ground, home of Lancashire County Cricket ClubOld Trafford can also refer to:... |
Paul Wellens Paul Wellens Paul Simon Wellens is an English multi-award–winning rugby league footballer. Wellens plays for St. Helens in the European Super League. Wellens is a Great Britain and England international... (St Helens) |
| XII Super League XII Engage Super League XII is the official name for the year 2007's Super League season in the sport of rugby league.The 2007 season kicked off on the weekend of 2 February 2007 at the Galpharm Stadium. For the first time, the league had a staggered start due to the World Club Challenge between St... |
2007 2007 Super League Grand Final The 2007 Super League Grand Final was held on Saturday 13 October 2007, at Old Trafford in Manchester, England. The game was played between St Helens, who finished top of the league after the 27 weekly rounds, and Leeds Rhinos, who finished second after the weekly rounds.-Route to final:Regular... |
Leeds Rhinos Leeds Rhinos Leeds Rhinos is an English professional rugby league football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. The club won the 2011 Super League and became the most successful club in the Super League era, beating St Helens 32-16 on 8th October 2011. Formed in 1890, Leeds competes in Europe's Super League... |
33–6 | St Helens | 71,352 | Old Trafford Old Trafford Old Trafford commonly refers to two sporting arenas:* Old Trafford, home of Manchester United F.C.* Old Trafford Cricket Ground, home of Lancashire County Cricket ClubOld Trafford can also refer to:... |
Rob Burrow Rob Burrow Rob Burrow is an English professional rugby league footballer with the Leeds Rhinos of Super League. He has represented both England and Great Britain as a hooker/half. He has spent his whole career to date at Leeds, having won the Super League championship with them five times... (Leeds) |
| XIII Super League XIII Engage Super League XIII was the official name, due to sponsorship, for the 2008 Super League season by Engage Mutual. Twelve teams competed for the Minor Premiership over 27 rounds after which, the top 6 finishing teams entered the play-offs where they competed for a place in the Grand Final and... |
2008 2008 Super League Grand Final The 2008 Super League Grand Final was held on Saturday 4 October 2008, at Old Trafford, Manchester, UK. The match was between Super League XIII League Leaders St Helens and defending champions from 2007 Leeds Rhinos.-Route to final:... |
Leeds Rhinos Leeds Rhinos Leeds Rhinos is an English professional rugby league football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. The club won the 2011 Super League and became the most successful club in the Super League era, beating St Helens 32-16 on 8th October 2011. Formed in 1890, Leeds competes in Europe's Super League... |
24–16 | St Helens | 68,810 | Old Trafford Old Trafford Old Trafford commonly refers to two sporting arenas:* Old Trafford, home of Manchester United F.C.* Old Trafford Cricket Ground, home of Lancashire County Cricket ClubOld Trafford can also refer to:... |
Lee Smith (Leeds) |
| XIV Super League XIV The 2009 Super League season is the fourteenth season of rugby league since the Super League format was introduced in 1996... |
2009 2009 Super League Grand Final The 2009 Super League Grand Final was held on Saturday 10 October 2009, at Old Trafford, Manchester, UK. The match was contested by defending champions and 2009 League Leaders Leeds Rhinos, and the team they had faced in the grand final for the past two years, St Helens.The 2009 decider, contested... |
Leeds Rhinos Leeds Rhinos Leeds Rhinos is an English professional rugby league football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. The club won the 2011 Super League and became the most successful club in the Super League era, beating St Helens 32-16 on 8th October 2011. Formed in 1890, Leeds competes in Europe's Super League... |
18–10 | St Helens | 63,259 | Old Trafford Old Trafford Old Trafford commonly refers to two sporting arenas:* Old Trafford, home of Manchester United F.C.* Old Trafford Cricket Ground, home of Lancashire County Cricket ClubOld Trafford can also refer to:... |
Kevin Sinfield Kevin Sinfield Kevin Sinfield is an English professional rugby league player. He is the captain of the Leeds Rhinos in Super League. His recognised position is /, although he can cover both /, and . He has represented both England and Great Britain at international level.-Career:Sinfield began his career at... (Leeds) |
| XV Super League XV The 2010 Super League season was the fifteenth season of rugby league football since the Super League format was introduced in 1996. Fourteen teams competed for the League Leader's Shield over 27 rounds . All clubs also participated in the 2010 Challenge Cup tournament... |
2010 2010 Super League Grand Final The 2010 Super League Grand Final was the conclusive and championship-deciding game of Super League XV. Held on Saturday 2 October 2010, at Manchester's Old Trafford stadium, the match was contested by English clubs St Helens and Wigan Warriors... |
Wigan Warriors Wigan Warriors Wigan Warriors is an English rugby league club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester. The club's first team squad competes in the engage Super League and the team are the current Challenge Cup holders as of the 27th August 2011.... |
22–10 | St Helens | 71,526 | Old Trafford Old Trafford Old Trafford commonly refers to two sporting arenas:* Old Trafford, home of Manchester United F.C.* Old Trafford Cricket Ground, home of Lancashire County Cricket ClubOld Trafford can also refer to:... |
Thomas Leuluai Thomas Leuluai Thomas Leuluai is a New Zealand professional rugby league footballer who currently plays for the Wigan Warriors in the Super League. His position is at half-back... (Wigan) |
| XVI Super League XVI The 2011 Super League season was the sixteenth season of rugby league football since the Super League format was introduced in 1996... |
2011 2011 Super League Grand Final The 2011 Super League Grand Final is the conclusive and championship-deciding game of the Super League XVI season. It will be held on Saturday, 8 October at Manchester, England's Old Trafford stadium. The match was contested by St Helens RFC and the Leeds Rhinos, who last faced each other in a... |
Leeds Rhinos Leeds Rhinos Leeds Rhinos is an English professional rugby league football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. The club won the 2011 Super League and became the most successful club in the Super League era, beating St Helens 32-16 on 8th October 2011. Formed in 1890, Leeds competes in Europe's Super League... |
32–16 | St Helens | 69,107 | Old Trafford Old Trafford Old Trafford commonly refers to two sporting arenas:* Old Trafford, home of Manchester United F.C.* Old Trafford Cricket Ground, home of Lancashire County Cricket ClubOld Trafford can also refer to:... |
Rob Burrow Rob Burrow Rob Burrow is an English professional rugby league footballer with the Leeds Rhinos of Super League. He has represented both England and Great Britain as a hooker/half. He has spent his whole career to date at Leeds, having won the Super League championship with them five times... (Leeds) |
Statistics
Most Appearances: - St Helens (9), Leeds (7), Bradford (6), Wigan (5), Hull FC (1)Most Wins: - Leeds (5), St Helens (4), Bradford (3), Wigan (2)