Leeds Rhinos 22-20 Wigan Warriors: Danny McGuire hints Leeds' treble is just the start

Leeds completed the hat-trick of domestic honours at Old Trafford by winning the Super League Grand Final on what was not merely a wonderful night for one club, but also for the game as a whole – at least on the pitch.

It always promised to be close against Wigan and, on a day when rugby league wanted to look its best, it was also compelling. With England playing Uruguay at rugby union on Saturday just across town, it was a night when there were bound to be comparisons made, whether the two codes liked it or not.

The league encounter in Manchester did not disappoint. Perhaps neither side were at their best, but they were close enough to their peak to make this a spellbinding contest. Wigan’s kicking game and their suffocating defence was not at its most efficient; Leeds’ extravagant off-loading was largely kept under wraps.

There was nothing to choose between the sides and it could have gone either way. When the swings of fortune levelled off, however, they did so in favour of what the Leeds coach, Brian McDermott, called “a fairytale finish”.

The 22-20 win was certainly that for Leeds’ departing trio of veterans – Kevin Sinfield, Jamie Peacock and Kylie Leuluai – who have now ticked every possible box during their time with the club.

It was captain Sinfield’s conversion that ultimately won the game. He is off for a late dabble in union with Leeds Carnegie, but the other two key figures in this performance represent sturdy strands of continuity. The man of the match, Danny McGuire, has been around almost as long as Sinfield and is the obvious choice to take over from him as captain next season. On Saturday, he scored two tries, played a role in two others and looked ready to step up into the elder statesman role.

The crucial try, however, was scored by one of the rawest of Leeds’ recruits, the 20-year-old back-rower, Josh Walters. The ability of the club to bring through young players has been the key to their recent success and Walters symbolises the hope that this process will continue.

Yet, as both McDermott and Shaun Wane, the Wigan coach, observed, it is the losers who have the young team with the most potential improvement in it. That is part of the reason why they have six players in the England squad for the three Test series against New Zealand named by Steve McNamara yesterday. Leeds provide just three.

Disappointed as they are, Wigan did not do a great deal wrong at Old Trafford. They took an early lead, fought their way back in the second half, had a close knock-on appeal refused before Joel Moon’s disputed try for Leeds and looked dangerous to the very end.

Wigan also had arguably the best player on the field. Matty Bowen was playing his last game and did not deserve to be on the losing side. He scored one of the most memorable tries the Grand Final has seen and was a pest to Leeds every time he ran the ball. And all this after becoming a father again overnight.

There was, however, no denying Peacock and Sinfield their grand finale. “To top it off with a treble in my last season is unbelievable,” said Sinfield of his 17 years as a Rhino.

“We were all a bit emotional and I felt drained early on as personally three of my best mates are not playing with me next year,” said McGuire.

Not everything was heart-warming and honest, though, and the authorities will want to get to the bottom of stories – backed up with videos – of a brawl between Wigan and Leeds fans in a beer tent before the match.

The game prides itself on civilised relations between supporters. Fans who are identified as the trouble-makers can expect lengthy bans.