Kaide Ellis relishing loose forward battle against Hull KR’s ‘heartbeat’ with praise aplenty for counterpart

The two influential leaders will go head-to-head for the Super League title at Old Trafford, having both played hugely influential parts of their clubs’ respective successes in 2024.

Matt Peet’s Wigan are one win away from a historic quadruple, while it will mark Hull KR’s first time in Super League’s showpiece event in Manchester.

Minchella will return from a suspension for the mouth-watering clash at Old Trafford, serving the second of his two-match ban as his side defeated Warrington Wolves for a spot in the Grand Final.

Ellis meanwhile has enjoyed a stellar debut campaign in the iconic No.13 Wigan Warriors shirt, having missed just three games all year and was runner up for Wigan’s Players’ Player of the Year at the club’s end-of-season presentation.

The two will battle it out in front of a near sell-out crowd at the home of Manchester United, with former Penrith Panthers and St George Illawarra Dragons forward Ellis looking forward to the challenge against Minchella, who was named in this year’s Dream Team over his Wigan counterpart.

“He’s had a great year and is obviously the heartbeat of the team,” Ellis said.

“He’s been strong and got their player of the year award and deservedly so, and in the Dream Team as well.

“I’ve had a couple of run-ins and good battles with him throughout the year, and both play a very similar role for our teams. I’m looking forward to that.

“He’s a competitor and he’s very passionate. I’ll have a tough job against him.”

The Cherry and Whites could become the first club of the modern era to claim a quadruple in a calendar year, but Ellis insists that come Saturday, the focus has to be purely on the 80 minutes on the field.

Wigan began their 2024 campaign with a 16-12 triumph over NRL kings Penrith for a record-equalling fifth World Club Challenge, and later in the summer lifted the Challenge Cup for a record-extending 21st time following an 18-8 win over Warrington Wolves at Wembley.

With 22 wins across the regular season, Peet also guided his hometown club to back-to-back League Leaders’ Shields for the first time – before dominating local rivals Leigh Leopards in the semi-finals.

But Ellis, who will have his parents watching at Old Trafford on Saturday after flying over from Australia in the week, insisted: “You have to put what we have done aside, because it won’t matter come six o’clock on Saturday.

“It’ll be whoever the best team on the day is. Because you’ve won three (titles this year), it doesn’t give you the right to win another one.

“We touched on it (making history) a fortnight ago and ever since then it’s been about how many games we’ve got left and how many sessions we’ve got left, and enjoying this week for what it is and soaking it all up.”