Powerhouse prop Patrick Mago a ‘point of difference’ with inspiring impact in win over Hull KR
Within just a 14-minute stint from the interchange bench, Patrick Mago made a big enough impact to be named the official player of the match following the 24-20 thriller over Hull KR in the battle for Super League’s top spot.
The powerhouse forward was introduced into the action midway through the second half, and helped the Warriors from 20-8 down to overturn the game and claim the two vital points on offer against one of their newest rivals.
A dominant short stint, the 29-year-old was directly involved in the match-winning try, with a short pass to back-rower Junior Nsemba before receiving the ball back and letting his outside-backs in Jake Wardle and Liam Marshall finish the job with a crowd of 16,790 inside the Brick Community Stadium.
It was prolific try-scorer Marshall’s second of the game, celebrating his call-up into England’s 31-strong performance squad, with tries also from Nsemba and Abbas Miski in the hard-fought triumph.
“That role that he has, that’s what he’s capable of,” head coach Matt Peet said of Mago following the Round 25 victory.
“Sometimes he plays more minutes, but it’s more about the timing of his introduction, and what he does when we’re on and how we react to him.
“He brings the crowd into the game, which is important, and he was just that point of difference, as was Tyler Dupree.
“When we’re on the frontfoot and we time those changes right, then they can be really influential. And that’s how it proved.
“He carried strong, but he also had some nice touches with the ball as well.
“I thought there was some great skill on show from both teams.”
Mago still remains the only ever-present player for Wigan throughout the 2024 campaign, and was rewarded earlier this season with a new two-year contract until the end of 2026, with the option for 2027.
“Over the years, he’s had some cracking games for us,” Peet continued.
“We’re really proud of him. All of his family, a massive family in Australia who watch every week, they can be so proud of what he’s done. On and off the field, he’s adored in this town and in this club.”