It's winner takes all, says Saints' Paul Wellens

ENGAGE SUPER LEAGUE GRAND FINAL
Venue: Old Trafford Date: Saturday, 2 October Kick-off: 1800 BST
Coverage: Live on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra, BBC Radio Merseyside 1485 MW, DAB and online at bbc.co.uk/liverpool, BBC Sport website and Sky Sports 2

Wellens was named in the 2010 Super League dream team

St Helens full-back Paul Wellens says league position will count for nothing in Saturday's Super League Grand Final against local rivals Wigan Warriors.

Wigan won the League Leaders' Shield, ahead of second-placed Saints.

But Wellens said: "On Saturday, it's 'winner takes all'. Hopefully we can play well enough to get the result.

"There's no doubt the best two teams in the competition are fighting it out at the end of the season," Wellens told BBC Radio Merseyside.

"You're going to have two teams at the top of their form and a fantastic spectacle and some great players on show.

"I hope we can play well and provide some quality entertainment."

The showpiece event will be St Helens' fifth straight appearance in a Grand Final at Old Trafford - and they have lost the last three of them, all to Leeds Rhinos.

But, prior to that, Saints had a winning record at Old Trafford, having triumphed there in 1999 (8-6 against Bradford), 2000 (29-16 against this Saturday's opponents Wigan), 2002 (19-18 against the Bulls again) and 2006 (when they beat Hull FC 26-4).

And Wellens, like Keiron Cunningham (and Sean Long), has been part of the Saints side in all those previous seven Grand Final appearances.

It will be Wigan's first appearance since their 25-12 defeat by Bradford in 2003, of which Saturday's only survivors are Sean O'Loughlin and Paul Deacon (who was on the winning team for the Bulls that day).

But Wellens insists that both sides have enough experience to cope with the occasion in front of a potential 75,000 crowd under the Manchester floodlights.

"There's no doubt it's a fantastic stadium," said Wellens. "You look forward to playing in this type of arena.

"But, once the whistle blows and you get your first touch, it's like any other game.

"You're focussed on the job in hand and what needs to be done to try and help your team be successful.

"Wigan and St Helens have both got a lot of players that have played in big games before. I don't think either team will be overawed by the atmosphere or the arena."