Wigan's Kai Pearce-Paul set for ‘fairytale’ ending ahead of NRL move

The Grand Final will see the 22-year-old complete four-years at the club, having joined at the end of 2019 from London Broncos academy.

An England international, Pearce-Paul has been a dominant figure for the Warriors in 2023, featuring 22 times in a consistent campaign, including a start in the impressive 42-12 semi-final victory over Hull KR, his final appearance at the DW Stadium.

Liam Marshall enjoyed a hat-trick against the Robins on his 150th Wigan appearance, joined on the scoresheet by team-mates Jai Field (2), Toby King and Abbas Miski.

“It’s a great feeling,” Pearce-Paul said.

“It will be my first time in a Grand Final, so that’s also exciting.

“It’s a good group and we had a good week of training and a week to freshen up. There’s no better feeling than putting 40 points on a team and making my first Grand Final, it’s amazing.”

Saturday will mark Wigan’s first appearance at Old Trafford since 2018 - and the club’s first Grand Final since the 2020 behind-closed-doors encounter with St Helens in Hull.

And Pearce-Paul admits that it hasn’t sunk in yet that this year marks his last in Super League, making the move down under alongside Huddersfield’s Will Pryce, but is excited for a fairytale ending to his stint as a Warrior – as well as his 61st appearance for the club before jetting off to Australia.

“It’s really special,” he continued.

“I’ve been here for four years and it’s sort of the perfect ending if we can win the Grand Final.

“I know there’s a few of us leaving, the likes of Toby King in our right edge. We’ve created a good bond.

“It hasn’t even hit me that I’m going away to Australia yet. The mind works in weird ways, it could be any time walking around that field, it’ll hit me and become reality.

“It’s really exciting and for me it’s a fairytale ending to what’s been a great four years at Wigan.”

The Warriors will face Catalans Dragons at the Theatre of Dreams after Steve McNamara’s side knocked out reigning champions St Helens, ending their period of Super League dominance.

Legend Sam Tomkins kept his cool to score a late match-winning try for a 12-6 scoreline in Perpignan to take his side to their second-ever Grand Final, with London-born Pearce-Paul expecting a tough clash against the Dragons, featuring former Wigan stars Tomkins, Michael McIlorum and Tom Davies.

“It’s never going to be an easy game,” Pearce-Paul said, previewing the Grand Final.

“I didn’t expect the semi-final to be such a high scoreline.

“But a game against Catalans, it’s not going to be easy, especially inside Old Trafford with the hype and the size of the occasion.

“With the league and how close that was as well, it just shows that it’s going to be a good match and hopefully we can come away with a win.”