Wigan Warriors 2 St Helens 26: Five things we learned

Five talking points from Wigan's 26-2 loss to St Helens last night...
John Bateman clashed with James BentleyJohn Bateman clashed with James Bentley
John Bateman clashed with James Bentley

1. Wigan didn't score a try and - worryingly - they didn't look like scoring.

Not once did they threaten their opponents' line. Not once.

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Their solitary voyage into enemy territory, they opted to kick a penalty when they trailed 6-0.

It made for painful watching, souring the big occasion for the Wigan fans in the 16,000-plus crowd - their biggest attendance since Good Friday 2019.

2. Of course, it's hard to play on the back of a beaten pack.

And Paul Sculthorpe, a guest of Sky Sports, echoed views many fans have made this season - that they don't have the penetration, and the young forwards are being over-exposed and not getting the senior support.

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Wigan's starting pack featured three 20-year-olds, another at 21 and one at 22. it's not a criticism; it's not their fault. And nobody can question their effort.

But the club's decision not to replace George Burgess - a big, marquee, dominant front-rower - at the start of the year has hurt them. It's worth noting the club do have some senior props, but Tony Clubb and Mitch Clark weren't selected and Brad Singleton was suspended.

3. St Helens deserved the win, for sure. But in truth, they weren't great.

They were as spirited as Wigan but the key difference was composure and smartness.

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Whereas the Warriors' default for doing poorly is even more aggression, Saints instead decided to play, and - while also guilty of a couple errors - they managed to carve out chances through halfbacks Jonny Lomax, the impressive Lewis Dodd, and full-back Lachlan Coote.

4. And mentioning heightened emotions, Willie Isa completely lost his cool.

The coaching staff should have hooked him before the challenge which saw him sinbinned - adding to the two yellow cards John Bateman received.

Isa's off-the-ball hit on a grounded Jack Welsby will no doubt be scrutinised by the RFL's match review panel.

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Meanwhile, Bateman and James Bentley are both combative forwards, they're both from Bradford. So it was no shock when they clashed early on, with Bentley provoking Bateman with a poke in the head with his boot and the Wigan man retaliating. Did they both deserve to be sin-binned?

Either way, Bateman later tried to make his mark with a tackle on Bentley - only to be shrugged off by a strong fend. Expect this rivalry to run and run...

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Wigan Warriors 2 St Helens 26: How fans reacted on social media

5. So where do Wigan go from here?

Well, they're still fourth, with a run of five games before the play-offs. Their upcoming opponents are strong - Leeds, Castleford, Warrington, Hull FC and Catalans - and they will need to pick up some wins to secure their top-six spot.

While they've earned their position with expected wins against the lesser sides, they have failed to beat any of their top-five rivals this year.

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They probably will make the play-offs but if they don't make huge improvements over the next five weeks, many won't be convinced they have the confidence or form to make a realistic push for an Old Trafford spot.