Liam Marshall scored the match-winning try in Wigan Warriors' 10-2 Grand Final victory over Catalans Dragons; it was a fairytale evening for him playing for his boyhood club and as a Manchester United fan at Old Trafford; he missed out on Wigan's 2018 and 2020 appearances through injury
Sunday 15 October 2023 11:26, UK
Not many people get to live out their sporting dreams, but Wigan Warriors' Liam Marshall did just that as he scored a try to help his boyhood club win the Super League Grand Final.
Marshall's was the only touchdown in his side's 10-2 victory over Catalans Dragons at Old Trafford, the Wigan winger diving over in the 52nd minute in front of a packed-out Stretford End.
After missing the 2018 and 2020 Grand Finals through injury, Marshall admitted it was a special feeling to finally walk away as a champion and play a pivotal role in the club's sixth Grand Final win - and it helped that he is a Manchester United fan too.
"Obviously being a local lad from Wigan, I have been here many times watching," said Marshall.
"There is a picture that will probably do the rounds of me in 2013 running a flag on here as a fan of Wigan.
"I have come full circle really and it means a lot to me and my family. It is a really proud moment for me to get that Grand Final win.
"It probably was [my fairytale]. It probably hasn't sunk in yet.
"There is a picture that will probably do the rounds of me in 2013 running a flag on here as a fan of Wigan."
"It wasn't what I was thinking about, I just wanted to go and get the win for the team and luckily enough you get those chances.
"It is an unbelievable feeling at the Stretford End as a Manchester United fan. It is a weird dream I probably didn't even think about.
"I was just ecstatic and then the next job was thinking about what we need to do as a team.
"I was cramping up as well so I think I cheered in celebration then cheered to bring someone on to fix my cramp so that was probably what was going through my mind."
Although the victory is fresh in his mind, the Wigan man is already thinking about creating more history for the town he is proud to represent.
He now wants to be part of the first Wigan side to claim back-to-back victories in the Super League Grand Final, when they enter the 2024 season as champions.
"I am happy for me as an individual but more for the team's success," he added.
"The year probably started off not fantastically but the way we have kicked on, especially the last six to eight weeks have been outstanding.
"We have proved ourselves as a champion team and hopefully we can build on this going forward.
"It is a big credit to all the lads because it is a huge effort.
"We want to go again and do it. In the whole of the Super League era Wigan has never gone back-to-back so that is probably what we will start in pre-season talking about, that hunger to reach the top of the mountain again.
"We don't want this to be just one and done, we want to build a team and a squad that can build and have years of success but I am sure there will be a few teams next season who will be itching and ready to play us.
"We have got to take that now as the champions."
