ESL ESL - Wigan - News, Views and Crews !

[S J]

Wigan (18) 20

Tries: French, Williams, Hardaker Goals: Hardaker

Warrington (0) 6

Tries: Lineham Goals: Patton

Challenge Cup finalists Warrington suffered a fifth straight Super League defeat as they lost to Wigan for the first time in four meetings in 2019.

Injury-hit Wire had their two top try scorers Blake Austin and Josh Charnley among a host of missing players.
And they were taken apart with three first-half tries from Bevan French, George Williams and Zak Hardaker.
Steve Price's side improved after the break but only had a late Tom Lineham consolation touchdown to show for it.
Dec Patton, who had earlier seen two tries chalked off, one of them harshly, landed the conversion, but although they won the second half, it was Wigan's early blitz that sealed the game.

 

[moto748]

All over by half-time. Held the lead, and they didn't have a sniff of the line until the 70th minute.

 

[S J]

Wigan Warriors (14) 46

Tries: French 3, Hardaker, Leuluai, Smith, Sarginson, Gildart Goals: Hardaker 6, Smith

Catalans Dragons (0) 12

Tries: McIlorum, Tierney Goals: Tomkins

Wigan Warriors moved to within a point of a second-place finish as Bevan French's classy hat-trick helped them cruise past Catalans Dragans for an 11th win in 12 Super League games.
French's tidy score out wide and a fine finish led to a 14-0 interval lead.
After French sealed his treble, Michael McIlorum's try gave Dragons hope, but Zak Hardaker, Thomas Leuluai, Harry Smith and Dan Sarginson all crossed.
Lewis Tierney replied but Oliver Gildart crossed for an eighth home try.
Warriors, who will now secure second spot and a home play-off qualifier if they avoid defeat in their final fixture against Castleford next Friday, were convincing winners against outclassed opponents.
Victories for both Warrington and Salford mean those two sides trail Wigan by two points with one match remaining in the the regular season.

 

[moto748]

We are closing in! We have won 10 of our last 11 games now, and if we can beat Castleford next week, will be nailed on for second spot.

 

[S J]

We are closing in! We have won 10 of our last 11 games now, and if we can beat Castleford next week, will be nailed on for second spot.

On a roll.

 

[S J]

Wigan (4) 26

Tries: Williams, Hardaker, Greenwood, Gildart, Smithies Goals: Hardaker 3

Castleford (2) 8

Tries: Blair Goals: Ellis 2

Wigan Warriors maintained their timely winning run going into the Super League play-offs as the reigning champions racked up a 12th victory in 13 games.

But Castleford must now sweat on how Hull FC get on against leaders St Helens on Friday to determine whether they seal a top-five finish - and a place of their own in those play-offs.

A bad night for Cas was made worse by a red card for Jesse Sene-Lefao.

But, by then, rampant Wigan had already scored four of their five tries.

 

[moto748]

Good tough win.

 

[S J]

Good tough win.

Looking good to keep going ?

 

[moto748]

Wigan Warriors 18 Salford Red Devils 12.

Wigan book their place in the semi-final. A win away against Saints (big ask) books them a Final spot, a defeat gives them another chance at home against the winners of Salford and Castleford. On current form, I'd expect Salford to turn Cas over.
Teenager 13 Morgan Smithies, just 18 and with just a handful of SL games under his belt, beat a SL record held since before he born, by making an amazing 72 tackles in the match. He missed 2. Obviously we will look to nail his feet to the ground.

 

[S J]

Wigan Warriors 18 Salford Red Devils 12.

Wigan book their place in the semi-final. A win away against Saints (big ask) books them a Final spot, a defeat gives them another chance at home against the winners of Salford and Castleford. On current form, I'd expect Salford to turn Cas over.
Teenager 13 Morgan Smithies, just 18 and with just a handful of SL games under his belt, beat a SL record held since before he born, by making an amazing 72 tackles in the match. He missed 2. Obviously we will look to nail his feet to the ground.

A hard ask - but they all need to win to get the big one. Who knows - one side can get a roll on and go all the way - look at the Challenge Cup.

 

[moto748]

Last season we won all ten of our play-off games to take the title. This year, in theory, we can do it in three. One down, two to go.

 

[S J]

Last season we won all ten of our play-off games to take the title. This year, in theory, we can do it in three. One down, two to go.

Its a funny game - anything can happen

 

[moto748]

Well, Salford certainly turned Cas over, but rather more comfortably than I expected; 22-0! They are a good side, and Wigan and Saints both have to take them very seriously. Jackson Hastings has been the heartbeat of their team, and Wigan fans have taken to Salford as a second team, we are delighted that Hastings will be joining us next year. I had my doubts about him, but his efforts at Salford, and the professionalism he has shown, have impressed everyone in England, and for someone who came here with a dubious rep, and plenty to prove on the pitch, he has answered all his critics and a lot more, and looks a shoo-in for Man Of Steel. I think he's made a bigger impact on SL than any other Aussie import I can recall in recent years, certainly more than Barba or Austin.

 

[S J]

Hasting apparently going well. Good to see.

 

[S J]

Might it be better to lose this one and win the next two ?

 

[moto748]

It might, but playing two games to get to the GF rather than one risks further injury.

 

[S J]

Wigan Warriors (0) 4

Try: French

Salford Red Devils (12) 28

Tries: Dudson, Lussick, Mossop Goals: Inu 8

Salford Red Devils reached their first Super League Grand Final after upstaging five-time champions Wigan Warriors at the DW Stadium.

Wigan, aiming to reach a sixth Grand Final in seven years, were thrashed 40-10 by Saints a week ago in what was their first shot at once again booking a return to the iconic home of Manchester United.

Errors plagued their game this time against a slick Salford outfit that also battled resiliently in defence, limiting Wigan - a side that had beaten them in each of their past eight meetings - to just a few fleeting threatening moments.

Defeat brought an end to an at times turbulent season for the Warriors, who made a poor start to life under Adrian Lam - winning just one of their opening six games.
Lam arrived as an interim replacement for Shaun Wane, taking a one-year contract as Wigan awaited the arrival of Shaun Edwards.

The succession plan at the DW Stadium looked a disastrous one in the early months of 2019, with the slow start compounded by the news in April that Edwards had decided against taking up the job from 2020.

Six months into the campaign, however, Wigan had recovered, moving into the play-off spots and Lam being rewarded with a one-year contract extension.

A run of 13 wins from 14 games took them to a play-off semi-final against St Helens last week, but heavy back-to-back defeats made for a miserable finish to their title defence.

 

[BarryBunny]

Salford - like in the AFL/NRL. Wigan hit the wall.

 

[S J]

Wigan Warriors centre Oliver Gildart is to be out for "four to five months" and will miss the start of next season following shoulder surgery.

 

[S J]

Wigan captain Sean O'Loughlin has signed a new one-year deal which will see him end his career at the club. The 36-year-old, also England skipper, has led Wigan to four Super League titles, two Challenge Cups and a World Club Challenge win in 13 years.