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