AFTER the nail-biting game between the teams in Super League Round 23, a Warrington Wolves versus St Helens repeat at Wembley would go down a storm with neutrals.
And a Wire v Saints outcome is favourite in the eyes of the bookies.
But history is having none of it.
Warrington and St Helens have never met in the final before, despite having reached the semi-final stage together on 14 previous occasions.
That goes back all the way to the very first competition in 1897.
Even by the laws of probability they should have met twice in the final.
On four occasions they were drawn together, and on the others, one or both lost!
Record of both Wire and Saints reaching semi finals:
1897: Warrington 0 Batley 6, St Helens 7 Swinton 0
1931: Warrington 5 York 15, St Helens 2 Halifax 11
1933: Warrington 11 St Helens 5
1953: Warrington 3 St Helens 9
1972: Warrington 10 St Helens 10 (replay: Warrington 6 St Helens 10)
1978: Warrington 8 St Helens 12
1981: Warrington 9 Widnes 17, St Helens 5 Hull KR 22
1989: Warrington 6 Wigan 13, St Helens 16 Widnes 14
1990: Warrington 10 Oldham 6, St Helens 14 Wigan 20
2001: Warrington 22 Bradford 39, St Helens 27 Leeds 22
2004: Warrington 18 Wigan 30, St Helens 46 Huddersfield 6
2009: Warrington 39 Wigan 26, St Helens 14 Huddersfield 24
2010: Warrington 54 Catalans 12, St Helens 28 Leeds 32
2015: Warrington 18 Hull KR 26, St Helens 14 Leeds 24
For those years that both teams were in the semis, here is how they finished in the league:
1897: Warrington 7th Saints 9th
1931: Warrington 10th Saints 7th
1933: Warrington 5th Saints 11th
1953: Warrington 9th Saints 1st
1972: Warrington 15th Saints 3rd
1978: Warrington 9th Saints 3rd
1981: Warrington 2th Saints 8th
1989: Warrington 11th Saints 7th
1990: Warrington 8th Saints 5th
2001: Warrington 7th Saints 4th
2004: Warrington 8th Saints 5th
2009: Warrington 10th Saints 2nd
2010: Warrington 3th Saints 2nd
2015: Warrington 6th Saints 2nd
Compiled by Stan Lewandowski
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