Wigan Warriors: The 18th Man - 'It really is a conveyor belt and needs to be protected at all costs...'
Our panel of Warriors experts run the rule over the Challenge Cup fourth round win over Bradford Bulls, the quarter-finals draw and the homegrown talent making their mark in the first-team...
David Bailey:
Well, the Challenge Cup is back with a vengeance. The Warriors comfortably dispatched Bradford Bulls with a professional, if not clinical, performance. Once again, the pack stole the show with a dominant performance.
Despite the new ruck rules, I felt referee Liam Rush let the Bulls hang on more than any opposition had this season. I thought Mitch Souter wanted to go home with Brad O’Neill at one point, such was the attention he was giving him!
It was yet another home game in the rain. I cannot wait for the sunshine to get to the Brick, as it is making for horrible weather at the moment, not that the players are being hindered. Noah Hodkinson had an impressive game. Looked safe under the high ball for the most part and always had the Bulls on their heels with his broken play running. Sterner tests will lie ahead, but every week that passes brings Jai Field’s return a little closer.
Dayon Sambou made up for jamming in to allow Ethan Ryan to score by grabbing a smart intercept, marking his full debut with a try. Ethan Havard stole the show, though. Not for his full-on, energetic and powerful performance, but for his deft chip kick to give Zach Eckersley yet another try in the corner.
There are some real shoots of young players taking their place in the team and not missing a beat. It is what Wigan are built on and what Matt Peet’s journey has led him to really commit to. 12 players on the park came through Wigan’s system (ten from the Warriors plus Joe Mellor and Ryan Sutton of the Bulls). I suppose Andy Ackers counts as a Wigan lad too, but he only enjoyed one season at academy level after joining. I am excited to see more of Taylor Kerr and eagerly await some game time for Kian McDermott and Lukas Mason. It really is a conveyor belt and needs to be protected at all costs.
The next round is not one most Wiganers would have hoped for: Wakefield away. Of the last ten visits to Shakey Wakey, Wigan have only claimed the spoils THREE times. A real bogey ground (Wigan did beat Wakey ’away’ in 2020, but this was at Headingley). However, Peet enjoys righting wrongs. Having not won there since his debut season in 2022, he will be itching for his team to perform and progress. Having lost their last three games there, it is an opportunity to put down a marker for the season and another lucky omen (if you believe that sort of thing) is that one of those two wins he enjoyed was at the same stage of the cup at the same venue. The team went on to give him his first trophy as Wigan coach at Tottenham in this very competition.
Glynn Bradshaw:
A workmanlike display against Bradford, a bit sloppy at times, but we got the job done and never looked in any danger of losing.
I was pleased to see Hodkinson get his chance. He was solid, and I’m sure getting that game under his belt will do his confidence the world of good. I think it helps him as well to have this run of games at home.
The picks of the bunch for me were Havard and Luke Thompson on both sides of the ball. Havard even provided a deft kick to assist Eckersley’s try and Thompson made a rare appearance on the scoresheet. I thought it was noticeable at the beginning of the second half, when they were both off, with how much ground the Bulls made, particularly Ackers. They are so important to the team, as is O’Neill, whose work rate is tremendous.
Adam Keighran did well, but has a tendency to rush in out of the line defensively. Our right side defence is still a cause of some concern and there is plenty to work on.
Bradford were resolute in defence and defended manfully at times on their goal-line. I thought Eribe Doro was the pick of the bunch for them until he unfortunately succumbed to injury, stopping a certain Sam Walters try.
The Challenge Cup draw could have been kinder as we travel to Wakefield – a bogey ground – where we never seem to play well of late. I think the last time we won there was, if my memory serves me right, 2022, in the Challenge Cup, when Field scored a few, so I hope he is back from injury to repeat the feat!
It is certainly a tricky tie where we will need to improve. It’s not a ground I particularly like, as for some reason, with away fans being on the sideline, it seems hard to generate an atmosphere, even though, hopefully, the Warriors fans will travel in numbers.
On that note, it was disappointing to see such a low attendance last weekend, even though we were the highest attendance of the weekend. I think a figure below 10,000 is poor. However, sadly, this seems to be a common theme with Challenge Cup attendances, as fans are unable to use their season tickets, which might be a possible reason. Although the £12 ticket charge I thought was quite cheap.
I’m happy to see us on top of the tree after the first four league games, but April will provide some sterner tests in Saints and Wire. I’m sure Field will be back soon, but obviously, Bevan French is a massive loss.
It’s also nice to see so many academy-trained lads in the squad – a fitting tribute to the hard work of all the coaching staff – and long may it continue.
Darren Wrudd:
Although it was a convincing scoreline last week, I think it flattered us really. I’m not sure if the referee was just whistle happy, but the amount of stoppages, six-agains and general penalties both ways was a bit too high.
Bradford were not able to capitalise on the mistakes and extra sets, but a better side certainly would have. With a few of their players sidelined through injury or suspension, Bradford were doing it tough but were good value for the tie as they never gave up. Our play looked a bit more like last year’s than this, with careless and often needless offloads and dropped balls. It would have been easy to let this game slip through our fingers, too.
That said, what a performance from young Hodkinson. He never looked out of his depth and will certainly improve for the run-out. I would be happy to see him left at fullback for the time being and build on his game. He was good in defence and very supportive in the attacking role too – just what you need from a fullback.
So too with Sambou, who was energetic in his time on the field. A little too eager sometimes out of the line, but he is quick and certainly another with a big future in the game. We need this constant feed of young talent in the club, and it is so heartening to see the sheer high quality that our system brings through. How much credit for our successes must go to the coaching staff… It must be a proud moment each time one of the young guns gets their well-earned debut.
It was interesting to see the draw for the Challenge Cup on Tuesday. Wakefield are earning the title of giant slayer, having humbled their near neighbours Leeds and will be no pushover. What both squads will look like then is anyone’s guess, with almost 90 Super League players out injured already after four rounds of the competition. Are we pushing players’ bodies too hard, or is it just bad luck? I’ll leave that one for the boffins to work out!