Warrington aim to end 71-year wait in 2026 Super League final

Sam Burgess's Warrington Wolves will attempt to end a 71-year wait for a league title when they meet Wakefield Trinity in the Super League Grand Final at Old Trafford on Saturday, 3 October, kick-off 18:00 BST. A win would deliver Burgess his first success in the northern hemisphere as a coach.

As a player Burgess won a premiership in the NRL with South Sydney Rabbitohs. Warrington's last league championship was in 1955 — a year when Britain had no motorway, only one television channel provided by the BBC, capital punishment was still in place, the postcode had not yet been rolled out, rationing had been phased out only a year earlier and cars did not require seatbelts. Burgess began his tenure as Warrington head coach in earnest ahead of the 2024 season, taking over following Daryl Powell's uncompetitive stint in charge of the Wire.

Burgess's first season in charge brought a Challenge Cup final appearance at Wembley, where Wolves were beaten by Wigan Warriors, and a further cup final defeat to Hull KR the following year. Warrington missed the play-offs in 2025, finishing eighth, but have put together a consistent campaign in 2026 to finish third in the table, behind second-placed Leeds on points difference. Asked in his pre-match media commitments whether it gave him extra satisfaction to have his side emerge as challengers after 2025, Burgess said: "Not really," and added, "I'm pretty satisfied to be here. I guess I'll find out how satisfied I am on Saturday at about eight o'clock."

This season is Warrington's fifth trip to Old Trafford, following Grand Final appearances in 2012, 2013, 2016 and 2018; it took 14 years into the Super League era before the club reached its first Grand Final. Tony Smith's Wire side were undone by Leeds and then by Wigan in 2013 and 2016, and Steve Price's 2018 side were defeated by Wigan for a third consecutive Grand Final loss to the Warriors. In 2026 Warrington narrowly missed out on second place in the regular season and defeated reigning champions Hull KR and Leeds in the play-offs.

Former England coach Steve McNamara joined Burgess's coaching staff last October after leaving Catalans, whom he had guided to the Challenge Cup and two Super League Grand Finals. McNamara is set to join Hull FC for next season. On the group's experience Burgess said: "We've played a couple of big games over the last three years, so we've got a bit of experience," and added, "We have matured as a group and as a club. The club has matured with us, which is important. Whether it counts as much, on Saturday, we'll see."

Reflecting on his own 2014 NRL Grand Final as a player, Burgess said: "It's much easier as a player." He continued: "Any experience is experience whether it's as a player, coach, staff member, assistant, whatever. We've got a bit of experience in the room. Steve McNamara brought a lot of experience to us this year as well, which is going to help for something. We've got a lot of things in our corner. Again, when the whistle blows at six o'clock, you've got to do the right jobs and get the performance on the field."

Warrington face Wakefield Trinity in the Grand Final on Saturday, 3 October, kick-off 18:00 BST; commentary will be on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra, BBC Radio Merseyside, BBC Radio Leeds and BBC Sounds, with highlights available from 23:00 BST on iPlayer on Saturday and on BBC Two at 13:45 BST on Sunday.