Farrell ‘motivated’ for more Wigan success with potential Grand Final ‘three-peat’

Wigan Warriors captain Liam Farrell knows exactly what to expect in the Super League Grand Final on Saturday but that does not mean any motivation to win more silverware has gone away.

Heading into his 10th Grand Final, Farrell knows exactly what it means to win on the biggest stage having picked up a winners’ ring on six of the nine occasions he has walked out at Old Trafford so far.

All of that success has come with his boyhood club, the Warriors, with whom he has spent the entirety of his 15-year career.

Now, while many would be forgiven for being content with such a stacked trophy cabinet, Farrell remains galvanised to achieve more.

Why? That is a question he has grappled with but one he puts down to the environment in which that success has been created, with a three-peat the next one they are looking to tick off with victory over Hull KR on Saturday.

“I’ve been involved in a few but I think the excitement still stays there, the nerves are still there. I’m proud to lead out the team that I am doing and just trying to save all the moments throughout the week before we get to Saturday,” Farrell told Sky Sports.

“I’ve asked myself that a lot and I think it helps being involved in a fresh group every year and the success we’ve had at the club.

“I don’t like to lose, that’s probably been the main one throughout my career and I’ve been fortunate enough to be involved in a lot of success.

“I think being involved in the Grand Final in the first year, that just wanted to give me a taste for more. I think that’s probably the main motivation I have.

“I think both camps have got their own stamp on the game. Hull KR are going for the clean sweep everything and we’re going for three in a row, so there’s a lot at stake for both clubs and this success for us has been built over a few years.

“There’s obviously been a chance of winning a three-peat. There’s a lot of hard work gone in beforehand as well, so we know what’s at stake and we can put ourselves in a very good place in history if we win it, but there’s obviously a big challenge ahead of us.”

As captain, Farrell has the added excitement, or nerves, of leading his side out onto the hallowed turf.

That moment of Jerusalem playing while waiting to make his entrance is one Farrell can recite over and over in his head.

“You never know when your last one’s going to be, so this could be it. I’m just excited about being involved in it again and taking all the little moments and obviously being captain, being able to walk out first and seeing the crowd and the fireworks and all the pre-match entertainment, it’s going to be amazing,” he added.

“Being involved in all those moments is very special for me. Being stood in the tunnel and hearing Jerusalem play is nervous, yes.

“I can play the song over and over in my head. It is a nice song to listen to, but when you’re coming in front of 70,000 people, you just get nervous and all you want is to kick off and get the game going.”

While some more historic success potentially awaits Farrell and Wigan, he knows they have stern opposition in Hull KR who have been on a clear trajectory towards competing at the top of Super League, with the League Leaders’ Shield and Challenge Cup already in their trophy cabinet.

“I think the way Hull KR started the year and even the way they played last year, you could see that it wasn’t a one-off, it wasn’t a fluke,” Farrell said.

“They were going to have sustained success and we’re happy to play against them again.

“We know they’ve been the best team throughout the year consistently and showed a lot of resilience against teams, so we know we’re coming up against a tough opposition.

“Like I said, it’s nice to get two different teams involved in the game every year, but the Grand Final usually rewards the two best teams and I’d like to think we’ve been one of the two and Hull KR have definitely been the number one team this year.”