Warrington selection dilemma for Tony Smith ahead of Grand Final
Friday 7 October 2016 08:18, UK
Warrington coach Tony Smith admits he has been having a few sleepless nights in the run-up to Saturday's Super League Grand Final, live on Sky Sports, but says he would not wish it to be any other way.
While Wigan's team virtually picks itself with six front-line players ruled out of the trip to Old Trafford through injury, Smith is grappling with a selection dilemma after influential Australian scrum-half Chris Sandow was deemed fit enough to be included in his 19-man squad.
Live Super League Grand Final
Smith is set to make three changes to the team that beat St Helens in last week's semi-final after also calling up former Leeds prop Ryan Bailey and back-up hooker Brad Dwyer as the Wolves seek a first league title since 1955.
Youngsters Dec Patton, Joe Philbin and Morgan Smith are the trio likely to make way for their experienced rivals when Smith delivers the bad news.
"I wake early and I find it difficult to go back to sleep when I've got some of these decisions to make, not because I'm afraid to make them, it's just that I know how much it hurts the young men that are so ambitious and work so hard to be part of these games," said the former Huddersfield, Leeds and England coach.
"It's not a pleasurable part of the job but I'd rather be doing this job and giving some bad news to some kids than sitting at home and watching it on the television on Saturday.
"It's part of the job. It's not nice to disappoint some of those people and it's got to be done respectfully. I try to put myself in their shoes when I deliver the news and give them the explanation as to why they're not in the team."
Smith is the only man to guide two different clubs to the Grand Final, having been there with the Rhinos three times, and on Saturday will break the record for most coaching appearances currently held by Brian Noble, who took Bradford to Old Trafford five times from 2001 to 2005.
While Warrington are aiming to make it third time lucky after losing in 2012 and 2013, Wigan are desperate to avoid a hat-trick of defeats after going down to St Helens in 2014 and Leeds 12 months ago.
"This is our fourth year with me and we've only got one," said Warriors coach Shaun Wane, who masterminded his side's win over the Wolves three years ago. "I'm glad we've won one because I'd hate to be coming here with three losses.
"So we've a few players in our team who know what we need to do. We'll be dipping into that and making sure we have that never-say-die spirit again."
