A weekly newspaper has published a special supplement to mark its local rugby team making it to the Super League Grand Final.

The Wigan Observer issued a 16-page feature on Tuesday morning to mark rugby league’s Grand Final between Wigan Warriors and Warrington Wolves at Old Trafford this Saturday night.

The special edition included player profiles, interviews and a review of the Warriors’ route to the final following their semi-final win over Leeds Rhinos on Friday evening.

It follows a succession of recent supplements published by the Wigan Observer and its Johnston Press sister title the Wigan Evening Post after the recent successes of its rugby league side and football team.

The Super League Grand Final takes place in Manchester on Saturday night

The papers have already published several supplements this year centred around Wigan Athletic’s FA Cup Final win over Manchester City in May as well as the Warriors’ Challenge Cup Final victory in August.

Phil Wilkinson, sports editor of the Wigan Observer and Wigan Evening Post, said there was a quick turnaround on the supplement compared to previous special editions they had worked on this year.

“It has been round-the-clock stuff, we have been very busy but we cover these teams home and away all year and it is the best type of busy you can be,” he told HTFP.

Phil and fellow sports reporter Tom McCooey were granted access to the Wigan Warriors’ dressing room after their semi-final win and attended a press conference organised by the Rugby Football League on Monday ahead of Tuesday’s publication.

“We are well versed in supplements and have no shame in claiming Wigan to be the sporting capital of the world,” added Phil.

“The whole town is excited as it is the first time we played Warrington Wolves in a final for about 23 years so we’re just pleased to do justice to the occasion.”

Phil said that sales figures for the previous supplements had been ‘terrific’ and a further special edition would be printed in the Wigan Evening Post ahead of this weekend’s clash.