The Wigan Warriors were crowned Super League champions for the first time since 2018 with a merited Grand Final victory over the Catalans Dragons at Old Trafford.
The French outfit battled in spirited fashion during the first 40 minutes, but a second-half surge from the League Leaders' Shield holders propelled them to a 10-2 triumph, ending five years of hurt to add Super League title number 23 to the cabinet.
Steve McNamara's side took the game to their more esteemed opponents in the early exchanges, but the Dragons lost Adam Keighran to the sin bin with 20 minutes gone as the 26-year-old body-slammed Kai Pearce-Paul, who landed on his shoulder rather than his head to ensure that his counterpart would escape a red card.
The 12-man Catalans somehow denied Liam Farrell the game's first try in the 21st minute thanks to some remarkable last-ditch defending, but Wigan's numerical advantage paid dividends as Harry Smith kicked through the posts for the opening two points of the final.
Only two minutes later, though, Matt Peet witnessed the painful sight of Ethan Havard - who had come off the bench as an interchange - pull up with a hamstring injury, having already coped without the prop for 11 matches due to a similar issue.
Back from the sin bin, Keighran deservedly drew the Catalans level with a 38th-minute penalty, but Tom Davies was then sent to the sin bin early in the second half, and Wigan capitalised as Farrell laid off Liam Marshall for his 24th try of the season.
Smith did the rest before moving a rejuvenated Wigan onto double figures with a 64th-minute penalty, and Peet's solid defence comfortably kept the Dragons at arm's length for the remainder of the contest before the celebrations began.
For the Dragons, it is now back-to-back Grand Final losses after their 2021 beating at the hands of St Helens, while there was no dream farewell for Sam Tomkins at the Theatre of Dreams, as the 34-year-old retires having been bested by his former employers.
Ben Knapton
