Wigan Warriors are aiming for more than Challenge Cup glory as the exclusive club waits

Wigan Warriors are currently dominating the place in the British Rugby League. Super League champions, League Leaders Shield holders and World Club Challenge champions, Matt Peet’s side have put plenty of silverware in the cabinet over the past nine months.

Saturday’s Challenge Cup final gives them the opportunity to secure a fifth trophy in two years, but more than that, it gives them the chance to secure a trophy haul that has rarely been achieved before. Should Wigan beat Warrington at Wembley, they will be in possession of every major trophy available.

It is something that has only been achieved twice in history and would place them in an exclusive club with two teams considered among the best in British rugby league history. If they pull it off, the Warriors will become the first team in 17 years to do so.

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The first team to hold all the silverware was Brian Noble’s Bradford Bulls in 2003-04. Finishing the highs in 2003, they would have the full set on February 13th the following year. They defeated NRL champions Penrith Panthers 22-4, boasting a wealth of talent that is not only regarded as one of the best in the Super League era, but in the history of the game.

It was a Bulls team that now features icons of the game. Volcano Lesley Vainikolo was blazing on the wing, a young Leon Pryce was terrorizing the defense and in the middle the Bulls were able to call on the likes of Stuart Fielden, Jamie Peacock, Joe Vagana and Paul Anderson.

St Helens would go one better a few years later. Their 2006 treble-winning side would defeat the Brisbane Broncos in Bolton to secure the World Club Challenge in 2007, ensuring they would complete their own quadfecta. A great side with the likes of Sean Long, Paul Wellens, Keiron Cunningham and Paul Sculthorpe, Saints also had plenty of emerging talent with a young James Graham and James Roby in their ranks.

Where Saints beat Bradford was that they would go on to retain the Challenge Cup and League Leaders’ Shield in 2007, making it six trophies in a row. Their streak was ended by Leeds Rhinos in that year’s Grand Final.

Many other teams came close. Leeds’ 2004 side had the ability to complete the feat in 2005, but lost the Challenge Cup final against Hull FC. St Helens also failed to win the Challenge Cup in either 2022 or 2023. Of course, many great teams of the past failed to achieve such a feat, with the Grand Final not introduced until 1998 and the World Club Challenge. not becoming an annual event until the end of the millennium.

Now Wigan’s young side have the opportunity to put themselves in the same conversation as two iconic teams. Standing in their way are Warrington, who are hoping to end a five-year wait for a trophy after last winning the Challenge Cup in 2019.