Kevin Sinfield sent champions Leeds through to their fifth Super League grand final in six years as they beat Wigan 13-12 at the DW Stadium on Friday.
For a trio of Wigan stars heading to the NRL – Jeff Lima, Brett Finch and Thomas Leuluai – their last game in a Cherry and Whites shirt saw Rhinos standoff Sinfield kick nine points including a late penalty to secure a dramatic win.
Former Wests Tigers fullback Pat Richards tried in vain to drag hosts Wigan back into it with eight second-half points, including a try, but an 11-0 halftime deficit prove too much to claw back.
And Lima, set to join South Sydney Rabbitohs, Leuluai, rejoining New Zealand Warriors, and Finch, whose future who is still up in the air, will have to make do without silverware this time round.
The visitors, so accustomed to the big occasion, struck first blood with a breakaway try from centre Kallum Watkins.
The 21-year-old swooped on a loose ball for his 17th try of the season before Sinfield added his 100th playoff goal to give the visitors a six-point lead.
Sinfield’s form with the boot showed no signs of relenting as minutes later he kicked a penalty following interference by Harrison Hansen.
Almost immediately Wigan were penalised again when Finch was caught offside, and Sinfield made them pay with his second penalty of the evening.
The Rhinos – and Sinfield – kept the pressure up with a drop goal on the half hour mark and turned round with an 11-0 halftime lead.
Wigan, who had rarely threatened in the first 40 minutes, started the second period as they had to when Leuluai picked out Hansen who crossed two minutes after the restart. New South Wales-born Richards added the two goal points.
Finch and Leuluai were beginning to combine effectively and the latter’s kick on the fifth tackle forced Ryan Hall into a knock-on after 53 minutes.
Gareth Hock tried to force his way through but Leeds’ defence held him up behind the try-line.
But in the 62nd minute Finch evaded two tackles and fed Richards who stormed into the left corner to bring the Warriors within a point of Leeds.
His subsequent goal from the touchline gave Wigan the lead for the first time in the match.
Wigan threatened to extend that lead as the game entered the final 10 minutes when Josh Charnley broke down the right only to be held up brilliantly by Leeds’ Brett Delaney.
And with three minutes to go Leeds retook the lead through the boot of Sinfield, the 31-year-old converting his third and decisive penalty of the game after a handling error from youngster Jack Murphy.
The drama wasn’t over though, as Finch had the chance to level the game with a last-minute drop goal.
But his kick drifted wide as the champions marched on to a final with either Challenge Cup winners Warrington, going for a domestic double, or St Helens who meet on Saturday.
