SAINTS have been crowned champions after seeing off rivals Wigan in an eventful, nerve-jangling Grand Final at Old Trafford.

Written off by most pundits throughout the season, Saints were helped to their first title since 2006 by a piece of absolute thuggery from Wigan's Welsh prop Ben Flower, who was red-carded in the second minute for punching an already prostrate Lance Hohaia in the head.

Although Saints had a numerical advantage for 78 minutes, it did take them a while to come to terms with playing without their only recognised half back after Hohaia's enforced departure.

It was a nervy opening quarter, with both sides guilty of errors, and it was Wigan who broke the deadlock with a 17th minute penalty goal.

Saints, with Paul Wellens shuffled into the half back role, plugged away and they were soon back on level terms after a Mark Percival goal on the half hour mark But Saints were rocked barely seconds before the break when Joe Burgess sneaked over at the corner.

Although the kick missed, Warriors went in 6-2 at half time and the cherry and white hordes raised the roof.

But Saints came out with some steely determination in the second half and tried to pick at some weak seams in the Wigan armour.

It did not fall into their laps immediately, but eventually Man of the match James Roby teed up Sia Soliola to put Saints ahead for the first time.

The powerful Samoan back row brushed off two tacklers to get the ball down, with Percival slotting the extras.

But that work was very nearly soon cancelled out when Liam Farrell tore through from long range before eventually being hauled down at the corner.

Into the last quarter Smith pulled what would have been a match levelling goal wide and Saints breathed another sigh.

At the other end Saints pulled off one of those special plays, when Wellens kick towards the post was collected and grounded by Makinson despite the efforts of Smith and Bowen.

When Percival goaled it looked like Saints were home, but the Warriors regained the ball from the restart and began to lay siege again.

But Saints came up with the defensive plays to hold them out, with Jordan Turner and Roby coming up with the plays to clear the lines.

In the end, Saints had enough to hold on to win, maybe not in the prettiest of fashions, but nobody was marking them down on artistic impression.

This was a win for guts, character and determination, not simply over 80 minutes, but of all those hard rounds that preceded it.

And typically it was yet another game where they had to improvise to pull it off.