Grand Final: Faz unfazed

Liam Farrell is Wigan Warriors, and on Saturday, he will feature in his tenth Grand Final for the club.

Their captain is a one-club man and one of the most decorated players in Rugby League, having won everything there is to win on offer.

But he is still motivated for more.

Loyal Farrell’s raft of silverware includes six Super League Grand Finals, five League Leaders’ Shields, four Challenge Cups and two World Club Challenges, as well as a long list of individual honours.

And who can ever forget the Warriors’ historic quadruple in 2024? Farrell played a pivotal role in the Wigan team who completed the entire set – a formidable first in the modern Super League era.

Fast forward to October 2025, and Wigan are gearing up for a record-equalling 14th Grand Final appearance and will be looking to defend their title for a third year running.

“The feeling never gets old. It changes slightly for the reasons why though,” Farrell said, who played in his first Grand Final back in 2010.

“Obviously when I was 19/20 years old, I was just excited about being there. Nowadays, it’s still about enjoying it for myself but also things like being able to take trophy back to my kids and letting them see that as well.

“And just being able to enjoy it with the lads who are around me - I probably take that in more now.”

Having won everything there is to win, what keeps the club captain driven?

“I’m always hungry for silverware. A big sign for me is I’ve already got nerves building towards the week and I'm just excited about trying to win some more silverware for the club.

“I've always wanted to win things from being a kid and I hate losing, so that's probably the main motivator for me. I know it's pretty simple, but it's the truth.

“I’ve been involved in Grand Finals where I haven’t won, and it’s not a nice feeling, trust me, so if we could get some silverware on Saturday, it would be great.

“The club is built on success, and there’s lots of history around the club being in Grand Finals, Challenge Cup Finals and finishing top of the league.

“Being able to be a part of that and win more for the club and help sustain that success is a big thing for me.

“Hopefully I've done that throughout my career and I’m hoping I can get some more.”

It won’t sit well with Farrell that his side haven’t won any silverware this year then, having lost both the Challenge Cup and League Leaders’ Shield to their Saturday opponents.

But in trademark fashion, the Warriors have hit form at the right time, dominating their final five games in the Super League – scoring 184 points and conceding just 22.

They also know how to perform on the big stage of Old Trafford.

““Things are really paying off for us at the moment,” said the seasoned second rower.

“We haven’t won any silverware this year, but we’re hoping that will change on Saturday.

“I think just having a healthy squad, having right players playing well at the moment and just being connected as a group has helped us in this end of season run.”

Looking ahead to Saturday’s Grand Final rematch with Hull KR, this is what Farrell had to say, as he paid full credit to Willie Peters' Robins:

“We’ve done similar preparations to last year. In the week off, we enjoyed a couple of days away and some intense training but also some down time as well.

“This week, we're just preparing for the game as normal. We probably know we’re coming up against a Hull KR who are a lot better than what they were last year.

“They were a good team last year, but the way they've been resilient and been consistent this year is something else. They've showed why they have been the best team through the year.

“We know it’s going to be a tough challenge, but we wouldn’t expect anything less. I think it's the best two teams in the competition this year going up against it, which is what the Grand Final is expected to have, and we're excited about the challenge.”

Leading his team out is never lost on the 35-year-old veteran...

“It’s honestly amazing. Being a Wigan kid and seeing some of the people who led this  club out…I’m very good friends with Sean O’Loughlin, for example, who did it for a long time and I’m just trying to do follow in their footsteps and represent the club in a great way.

“You’re fortunate enough to get moments where you lead the team out of this tunnel which I’ll be doing at the weekend and it's something I'm excited about and a chance to lift that trophy again would be very nice.”

Can the champions continue their reign?

Tickets for the Betfred Super League Grand Final are on sale now, but hurry as tickets are selling fast!

Will you be joining us on Saturday 11 October? Tickets start at just £30 for adults, and £15 for juniors - secure your place today and join us for the biggest night in Rugby League!

The Betfred Super League Grand Final will also be shown live and exclusively on Sky Sports (K.O. 6pm).