Wigan Warriors: The 18th Man - 'He's surely etched his name into Wigan folklore and, should he sparkle on Saturday, his name will be legendary...'

Darren Wrudd:

If we are honest, I don’t think many of us saw the scoreline panning out like it did last week. I know the squad was all set for a very tight game, and yet they controlled the game from the off, and Hull KR simply could not live with the speed and skill on show. It was a tough game, though, and we clapped the KR lads off at the end, which they seemed to appreciate. Harry Smith must have put some hours in on that boot of his. We all know how good a tactical kicker he has become over the last couple of years, gradually improving his craft while bossing the lads around the park to implement the game plan. But improvement like this comes from hard work alone, and is a massive part of why we are going so well as a team this year. That dedication has, I am reliably informed, been continued with the practice he puts into spot kicks and, when it all comes together, we are blessed to have this young man in our ranks. I was pleased to see Bevan French recognised as Man of Steel. It’s a shame Jai Field did not get the same (well deserved) accolade last year, but I feel it's only a matter of time. Last Sunday, of course, was the 2023 season gala dinner, which will be Ian Lenagan’s last as chairman. It felt like a changing of the guard and the room was full of love and admiration for what Mr Lenagan has done for this wonderful club. His standing ovation at the end of the night went on and on, being truly deserved and showed the respect in which he is held. Thank you, Mr Lenagan. You set out to create a club to be proud of, restore the faith from a few years of struggle, and leave it in a much better position than when you arrived. Well along with your family, who have tirelessly worked alongside you, I would say you have done a pretty good job in all aspects of your remit, and our club is set for a few years of dominance within the sport. That will no doubt cheer the opposition fans, so batten down the hatches and prepare to be the pantomime villains for a few years. Saturday is obviously the pinnacle of the season, the Grand Final. Catalans will be full of hope and confidence, and quite right too. They have shown themselves to be a decent side this year, but then so have we. The fairytale of Sam Tomkins going out on a high will have to wait, in my opinion. We are not ready to relinquish our claim on this trophy and the French side should not get their hands on it. Of course, every neutral will think otherwise and, so again, be prepared for the flak when we win. It will be the ref’s fault or the RFL wanted us to win, or even Mystic Meg predicting the outcome gave us the edge. Not really bothered which, so long as we bring that trophy home, and I get to see Ian Lenagan finish with it in his hands after the game. Good luck everyone, hope you enjoy the game, we will be there and should stand out as I will have a bright cherry and white top on.

Glynn Bradshaw:

What a climax to the season this promises to be at Old Trafford on Saturday. The League Leaders' Shield looked a distant possibility in the summer, but we have turned it around with some excellent team performances. A great win on Saturday, and another team effort. Jai Field was my man of the match, he had a hand or a foot in almost everything. But from 1-17 we stood tall. I expect a different game in much more autumnal conditions on Saturday. I think it will be a lower scoring contest with little to choose between the sides. We are at our best when starting well and putting points on the board, rather than chasing. Hopefully we can keep this good run going, and complete high with a good kicking game, and our forwards can set the platform for our exciting backs. And hopefully the weather stays dry in Manchester on the night. One of the main talking points of the week has been the ticket fiasco on Sunday morning at the DW. I was one of many in the queue and, although we didn’t get the seats we would have liked, we are going to be there. I can’t understand why the initial allocation from the RFL wasn’t higher, and also why the club didn’t set aside first day sales for season-ticket holders only. Surely if you pay your money up front, you should be entitled to some perks. Lessons to be learned for the future. On a brighter note, congratulations to Bevan French on his Man of Steel award. A fantastic player and a great role model for any youngster watching the game, we are so lucky to have him. Also well done to Matty Peet and Brad O’Neill for their nominations. You could say both were perhaps a little unlucky. A nervous evening awaits on Saturday but, as ever, the Warriors faithful will be singing loud and proud to bring the boys home. Thanks to the departing players for their efforts, notably Toby King, who will be missed, and a rejuvenated Kai Pearce-Paul, who has been very good since his lay-off. Also a huge thank you to Ian Lenegan for all he has done for this great club. Let’s hope we can spoil Sam Tomkins' party and send Mr L off with a famous victory. Fingers crossed.

David Bailey:

So here we are, Grand Final week, and fittingly first plays second as the Wigan Warriors battle the Catalans Dragons for the right to be crowned champions. Wigan absolutely blew Hull KR off the park last weekend, with the game pretty much over at the 13-minute mark as the Warriors raced to an 18-0 lead. Catalans, on the other hand, won a pulsating, gritty semi-final against a St Helens team intent on a fifth successive ttle. Sam Tomkins wrote his own script once again and finished the former champions off with a typically evasive try. To round it off with the Tomkins trot was poetry in motion. This week saw the Steve Prescott Man of Steel awards and, while I won't comment on the professionalism of the night (the house band though!), I think the awards finally seemed to go to worthy recipients. Josh Thewlis was possibly the biggest surprise, but he has been a stand-out in a very disappointing Warrington side, so fair play to him. Coach of the Year went to Adrian Lam and, while we all know the value of Matty Peet, to take Leigh to winning the Challenge Cup for the first time in over 50 years deserves some credit. Bevan French walked away with the main award, though...finally, finally the panel nailed it. For a man to get top of the try assist table, despite starting the first six games on the wing, before moving from full-back to stand-off at Round 15 is remarkable. The doubters were all over him from WIgan and beyond, as St Helens handed the Warriors a lesson at the TW Stadium on that day. However, he has developed into such an attacking threat, and not just his pace stands out. His passing ability, his kicking game, and his off-the-cuff style has really blossomed during the run-in. After having such a difficult start to life in Wigan, getting injured, and then nursing his sick mum in Australia while out, you couldn't have blamed him for walking away. But he's surely etched his name into Wigan folklore and, should he sparkle on Saturday, his name will be legendary.

On to Saturday, stories everywhere...Sam Tomkins bringing down the curtain against the club that gave him his break; Mitchell Pearce's illustrious career coming to an end, Tom Davies and Micky McIlorum against their old team, Adam Keighran and Tiaki Chan against their new team. As for Wigan...Harry Smith coming of age, Toby King finally showing it might be a Warrington player's year, Kai Pearce-Paul wanting to head off to the NRL a winner. The one that makes it for me, though, is the story of Ian Francis Lenagan. A Wiganer born and bred, who stood on the Central Park terraces as a young boy, watching the likes of Billy Boston and Eric Ashton. Then heading off to the big cities to make his fortune, before returning home to save the club he loved. After Wigan's glory years of the 80's and 90' ended, I was grateful for Wigan to take part in finals, even though the likes of Bradford Bulls inevitably came out on top. Then Wigan turned a corner. Lenagan was bold in appointing Michael Maguire, and the dawn of a new era began as Wigan dismantled St Helens at Old Trafford in 2010. That era draws to a close this weekend, but Mr Chairman has built the club back up and placed it in safe hands. His backing of Matty Peet, his mentoring of Kris Radlinski, his welcoming of Mike Danson, and his friendship with Professor Chris Brookes means his influence will live on well after his time as the custodian of Wigan Warriors ends on November 30. Because of the people involved at the club - including Shaun Wane, Lockers and Tommy on the staff - I have no doubt every one of the 17 selected on Saturday will run their blood to water to give him the send off he truly deserves. With a partisan crowd of over 50,000 confirmed, and the Warriors averaging just one try conceded per game for the last eight matches, it will take a pretty special Catalans performance to win it. Don't play it again, Sam!

Stephen Ford:

Great display and result against Hull KR in the semi-final play-off. I was quietly confident of a win but never expected to post so many points. All 17 players were good, but in particular I thought Field, Marshall, Smith and Smithies were excellent. Liam Marshall must be one of the most underrated players in the history of our club. Rarely if ever has a poor game and his first two tries were executed with pace and power. A great atmosphere, fantastic tries and brilliant conversions from Harry Smith made it a great afternoon. A great week so far after the win, Bevan French deservedly winning the Man of Steel, which is pretty remarkable considering he has played in three different positions during the season, which must be a first. French is truly a wonderful rugby player with pace, guile and fantastic footwork, and he must be one of the most entertaining players I have ever seen in the Cherry and White. A brilliant player and, although I have never met him, I believe he is a lovely bloke as well. A little disappointing Brad O’Neill didn’t win the Young Player of the Year, but I suspect that in future years he will be a contender for the main award, and we will see him as a future international and club captain. Adrian Lam, I thought, deservedly won Coach of the Year for the impressive season Leigh had in winning the Challenge Cup and obtaining fifth place in the league in their first year after promotion, which was a pretty remarkable feat.

Rumours still persist in the departure of Morgan Smithies to Canberra which, for me, would be a major loss to the club. Smithies has vastly improved since Peet became head coach and he now has added good ball handling skills to his impressive work rate making him, for me, the best loose forward in the competition. I understand why he wants to play in the NRL, but I think if he waits another year or so, he could command a better package, and would arrive in Australia a more complete player. I believe Nsemba has agreed a new extended contract, which will be richly deserved, and we now need to tie Smith up to an extended contract to secure the services of the best scrum-half we have had for a long time. And will Owen Farrell actually ‘come home’? I sincerely hope he does!

On Saturday, Catalans will, I suspect, give us our toughest game of the season. A team containing Sam Tomkins and Micky McIIorum in a Grand Final ensures Catalan will be very combative and difficult to beat. We obviously go into the game on a long winning run, including an impressive victory in Catalan. However, Catalans – after their semi-final win against Saints – are well tuned for a highly intensive encounter. To win, we must dominate in the forwards to enable us to give Field, French and Co the platform to utilise our superior pace and attacking skillsets. I hope Havard or Byrne were available to supplement our props, but it doesn’t look likely that either of them will be fit to play. Personally, I would play Nsemba from the bench at the expense of Hill, as he is physically better suited to resist the anticipated Catalans forward onslaught. I anticipate a pretty brutal encounter and, at the end of 80 minutes, I expect no more than two points separating the two teams, with hopefully Wigan coming out on top. Recently Field has been playing brilliantly, and I will be having a few bob on him to win the Man of the Match.