Super League Grand Final: Sam Burgess and Daryl Powell know weight of expectation as Warrington Wolves and Wakefield Trinity make history
Hull KR made history in 2025 when they became the fifth team ever to win Super League, but 2026 is entirely different.
Hull KR beat Wigan Warriors, who are one of the big clubs that have won the Grand Final over and over.
For Warrington and Wakefield, the task is very different - neither have won this trophy and history is guaranteed.
Of course, that adds an extra layer of pressure as Sam Burgess and Daryl Powell look to do something that their respective town and city have dreamt of since their introduction to Super League.
For Burgess, the moment has many similarities to the one he experienced as a player with South Sydney Rabbitohs when they ended their 43-year wait for the big trophy in 2014. Burgess was player of the match and iconic images remain of him playing with a fractured cheekbone.
With Warrington, he would end a 71-year drought and he admits it is a major motivator.
"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't very interested in trying to break the drought when I first took the job," Burgess said.
"There's a lot of similarities between Warrington and South Sydney Rabbitohs.
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"It's not been won here for 71 years, I'm aware of that. It's exciting, but as a player at Souths, we got to the prelims in 2012 and 2013 before we won it in 2014.
"I felt like all that drought talk, weight of expectation, it was heavy.
"But it's not heavy on us, because we've kept it that way. It's more about this new group and creating our own history rather than being weighed down by the past."
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Powell has taken Wakefield on an incredible journey from being in the Championship for the 2024 season, returning in 2025, and now making it all the way to the Grand Final.
Not only that, they did it in some style with a 33-6 victory over Wigan in the semi-final. Wigan were the clear favourites having already picked up a domestic double in 2026.
Now, it is for Powell to make even more history with the biggest win in Wakefield's existence but he is more focused on playing good rugby and from that, the result will follow.
He does concede, though, that it would be the cherry on top of what has been a remarkable narrative.
"These boys are impeccable human beings, I think. We're in a great place, we're tuned in," Powell said.
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"I think the players, from what I've seen so far, are pretty relaxed, pretty calm. There's going to be some nerves. I think getting all of our prep right will be important, but I feel like we've done a massive amount of preparation over the last seven or eight weeks, where we've been playing against all the best teams.
"I try not to think about it, because I'd ask the players not to think about winning the game, I would ask the players to just be in the game, to play the game.
"That never helps you, all it can do is create anxiety and I don't see any point in that. Clearly it would be unbelievable if we win the game.
"We're on a great journey, the club's on a great journey, and this is the next step, this is a step for us into a great arena with an opportunity to do something unbelievably special.
"It'll be a phenomenal story, and I think we're good enough to do it. It's all about Saturday and the boys just doing what they do best and making sure that we play the game we want to play.
"If we get that right, the result will take care of itself."
The Super League Grand Final takes place at Old Trafford on Saturday October 3, live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports+.
The match will kick-off at 6pm, with coverage on Sky Sports from 5pm.
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