MARTIN Offiah believes an ‘icon’ stands in the way of Wigan and Grand Final glory – but a current wing ace could stop Sam Tomkins’ retirement party.
If a Hollywood scriptwriter was responsible for penning the tale of Saturday’s Super League Grand Final, the Catalans ace would ride off into the sunset with the trophy having defeated his hometown team.
But as St Helens icon James Roby found out, not everyone gets the dream ending and Offiah feels Liam Marshall may add the finishing touches to Jai Field and Bevan French’s work.
He said: “Sam is an iconic player.
“He should be very proud of his career. He’ll go down as a hall of fame player, not just for Wigan but rugby league as a whole.
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“He’s up there with the greats of the sport.
“Sam was one of the first of the new breed of full back. He was awesome for Wigan at first, went to Australia, came back and redesigned his game.
“It could’ve been Wigan v St Helens, instead it’s Wigan v Wigan as there are a few old boys in the Catalans team!”
The Dragons’ second Grand Final in three seasons, built on a core of French talent, shows rugby league can thrive outside the M62 corridor.
With Toulouse in Sunday’s Championship Grand Final, it could be a great weekend for the sport on the other side of the Channel.
And Offiah believes the future is bright, adding: “It’s great for the game to see them get to the final, even if it means the question, ‘How many fans can they bring over?’
“But it’ll be a great occasion and important for interest in our game.”
Offiah met Marshall after Saturday’s semi-final thumping of Hull KR to book an Old Trafford place and a crack at their first Super League trophy in five years.
And one legendary winger believes the current occupant could become a hero on the big stage.
He told SunSport: “The stage is set for Liam, a Bevan French or a Jai Field.
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“Liam was excellent in the semi-final. Seeing a Wigan number five do well always puts a smile on my face as I have a special affinity with that shirt.
“He’s a bit in the shadow of Bevan and Jai but he’s been awesome. He’s unassuming but some of his tries for Wigan have been pivotal.
“He’s been through a lot, what a great story. He’s definitely cemented himself as a star.
“Some people say Wigan are robotic or predictable but the way they play is like a boxer, they have so many combinations.
“If it becomes a war of attrition, Catalans are more than capable of winning but their players are longer in the tooth and if Wigan bring their sharpness and accuracy, they get the win.”
