Super League Grand Final send-offs
Thursday 5 October 2017 11:43, UK
The showpiece event has a bit of history when it comes to players signing off.
What a Grand Final we have in store in Castleford versus Leeds. And for the Leeds Rhinos, two departing club legends are hoping to pick up one final winner's ring. Danny McGuire is joining Hull KR while Rob Burrow is retiring.
But they're not the first Super League's stars to switch allegiance or sign-off at Old Trafford's showpiece event.
The Trios treble
In 2015, Leeds faced Wigan in the Grand Final. But it was a game with a twist. The Rhinos were bidding farewell to some pretty special players in then captain Kevin Sinfield, regarded then and now as a club great.
Jamie Peacock - the gnarled warrior who's been instrumental in the Rhinos' success in the modern era. And also Kylie Leuluai, the veteran prop who'd given so many years of service.
On that night in 2015, their fairy tales came true. The Rhinos beat Wigan 22-20, sealing not just another Grand Final success but also the treble including the Challenge Cup and League Leaders' Shield.
Bradford's break-up party
In 2005, Bradford Bulls were one of Super League's most dominant forces. But the storm clouds were looming over Odsal by the time they reached that year's Grand Final against Leeds.
The Bulls had done well to reach Old Trafford, winning 11 straight games after a difficult regular season that included a 66-4 defeat to St Helens. Four players named in the 17 that night had signalled their departure - captain Jamie Peacock to arch-rivals Leeds. Club legend Robbie Paul to Huddersfield, sparkling talent Leon Pryce to St Helens and grafter Lee Radford to Hull FC.
But this splintering band played one final magical tune on the biggest stage. They got revenge on the Rhinos for the 2004 reverse, winning 15-6 to secure the Bulls' last major trophy.
Ducking down under
Wigan's 2013 Grand Final against Warrington will always be remembered for the Warriors' stunning comeback. But that day Shaun Wane's side were saying goodbye to one of Super League's top talents.
Sam Tomkins had agreed to leave for the NRL, signing on with the New Zealand Warriors for a world-record fee. The full-back was one of the league's star players and Wigan's 30-16 win over Warrington was a great way to say goodbye.
Although Tomkins didn't score, he played a key role as Wigan came back from 16-2 down to win. So farewell to Tomkins, but also one of Wigan's best overseas signings in Pat Richards, who left to return to the NRL with West Tigers, and Lee Mossop, who went to sign for the Parramatta Eels.
The perfect goodbye
It's 2003, you're a legend of Rugby League, a key cornerstone of a Bradford side that had accumulated seven major trophies in eight years and an old-fashioned hooker who will be almost impossible to replace.
So how do you bow out? Well, James Lowes had the perfect answer. He scored the final's match-winning try. Lowes had announced 2003 would be his last season in the sport and his all-conquering Bulls side had their chance to make history by becoming the first club to win the Grand Final and the Challenge Cup in the same season.
Only Wigan stood in their way and they didn't make things easy. But Lowes had the final say, plunging over the Old Trafford whitewash to seal a 25-12 win.
Misery for Saints stars
It's not always good evening's work for departing players in a Grand Final. Just ask St Helens. On several occasions, the Saints had the opportunity to send-off a few fantastic players with a shiny winner's ring in their back pocket. But it wasn't to be.
They were on the receiving end of three successive Grand Final defeats to Leeds in 2007, 2008 and 2009 and the 2009 defeat saw Sean Long and Lee Gilmour bow out.
In 2010, it was the end for Keiron Cunningham, who went departed on the wrong end of a defeat to Wigan. And a year later, the club bade goodbye to James Graham, who headed for the NRL on the wrong end of yet another defeat at the hands of Leeds at Old Trafford. Sadly, it doesn't all end well on the greatest stage.
Mixed emotions for coaches
Several coaches have bowed out at the very top, but others have also said goodbye without the title they so desired.
Tony Smith saw out a win in his last game with the Leeds Rhinos with a 2007 win over St Helens, while Nathan Brown delivered the Super League title back to St Helens in 2014 by beating Wigan before he returned back to Australia.
But coaches have signed off with some notable Grand Final defeats too. Daniel Anderson was beaten with St Helens in the 2008 final against Leeds, while Mick Potter's last game in charge of Saints was the defeat to Wigan in 2010.
Hanging up the Mic
It's not just the players and coaches who say farewell. Last year's Grand Final between Wigan and Warrington spelt the end of Mike 'Stevo' Stephenson's career behind the Sky Sports microphone. He bowed out watching a Warriors victory, a nail-biting 12-6 win thanks to Josh Charnley's winning score - the final T-R-Y of his long stint in the commentary box!
And current Sky Sports pundit Barrie McDermott also ended his Leeds career in a Grand Final. The former Headingley hero might not remember that final appearance in 2005 too fondly though. The Rhinos lost to Bradford and Barrie's first touch was to flatten Adrian Morley with a high tackle that conceded a penalty and the first two points!
Live Super League Grand Final
