Wigan Warriors- The 18th man: 'It's early days but I'm sure this season will live long in the memory'

The 18th man contributors look back on all of the main talking points from the past week.
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Robert Kenyon

The Catalans game was a goodbye to players leaving and a thank you to the fans.

It was a scrappy clunky game, where we didn't seem to get flowing but still hammered a young spirited Catalans side.

Wigan Warriors have three representatives in the Super League Dream TeamWigan Warriors have three representatives in the Super League Dream Team
Wigan Warriors have three representatives in the Super League Dream Team
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The club awards as expected have gone to the right people and Harry Smith has improved massively this season, his deft touches and support play is brilliant, he's playing with confidence too and it's great to watch a cheeky halfback again for Wigan.

The Dream Team is something I have no qualms with.

I do feel Alex Walmesley is in the team based on previous years, as is Roby, because I think there's been better hookers in Super League this season.

Morgan Smithies was unlucky to miss out, and if Brodie Croft hadn't been as good as he has been then Harry Smith wouldn't have been far off, nor Kaide Ellis, had he played as good as he has been doing lately through the middle of the season and may have got in at the expense of Walmesley.

Regardless of results, 2022 has been one of the best seasons watching Wigan, up there with 1994, 2001, 2003, 2006, 2010 and 2012.

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The exciting rugby league we have played this season has been brilliant for me as a purest.

I love seeing the ball offloaded and thrown about a bit, we watch rugby league to be entertained not to watch a safety first, mistake free wrestle fest and this season the players and coaching staff have delivered everything I wanted from Wigan.

It's early days but I'm sure this season will live long in the memory and ticks every single box from winning the Challenge Cup, having star signings, no off-field rubbish and most importantly playing entertaining rugby.

Thank you to all involved you've made my year.

Darren Wrudd

The Catalans game was more important than the dead rubber that the league table suggested.

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With a young and inexperienced group of French players, they were always up against it but their enthusiasm for the game and the way they played it was a credit to them.

For our lads, keeping concentration in such a game could have been a real issue but in the main, we coped reasonably well with it.

We would not have won that game against most other Super League sides with our level of performance but it was enough on the night.

A massive bonus was the club’s approach to the night and the way they integrated the fans, with the player's arrival being genius.

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What a fantastic idea and well thought out way to bring this squad of young players through the cheering fans to lift them into battle.

The idea of course came from the ultimate club man, Kris Radlinski.

He was so excited about it and the players and staff got a real buzz out of the occasion.

It is this kind of special event that keeps us at the forefront of the sports interaction with us fans.

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Speaking to Rads, he was so full of boyish excitement at the prospect and he is full of idea’s like this so watch this space as anything could happen next.

It was this kind of enthusiasm and hard work ethic that has seen Radlinski’s rise within the club to the position he commands now as executive director, his finger on every pulse throughout the club, nothing gets by him without scrutiny and a driving force to get better.

Nothing that is except Mr. Ian Lenagan.

Always a fan of a theatrical moment, Mr. Lenagan chose his moment very well at the awards event last Sunday.

After letting the proceedings flow and players like Sean O’Loughlin have their moment of glory, he took to the stage with a seemingly unplanned extra item on the agenda.

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After checking every detail of the event, Rads looked slightly puzzled at what was unfolding before his eyes, but he need not have worried as the biggest cheer of the night went up as Kris Radlinski MBE was inducted into the Wigan Rugby League Hall of Fame.

Looking almost shell shocked, he went to the stage with his lovely daughter while his mother, wife and son watched on.

A most touching moment and a beautifully unplanned speech followed, which had tears flowing all around the room and the deed was done.

The awards event was a huge success in many ways, but this for me was certainly my highlight.

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Having been in business myself for over 30 years, I know what it takes out of you to work the job at that level and how difficult it can be to retain the respect of your peers, employee’s and partners.

If there was a book on how to do that, it might simply be called Rads. Wigan are so very lucky to have him leading the way.

Jon Lyon

Friday’s game saw a comprehensive win over Catalans youth team.

I’m a firm believer that a team has the right to name whichever squad they like, we certainly did similar against Hull KR last week.

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However it is slightly muddied where Catalans are concerned as presumably their fans would have to plan weeks ahead to book to come over to Wigan, organising accommodation and travel, and if the weakened squad is only named 48 hours before the game this is very unfair on the people forking out hundreds of pounds.

As always, Wigan can only play what is in front of them.

It took a while for our attack to gel in the first half, and the young Catalans side did themselves proud early on.

Predictably, once Field and French clicked we moved up a gear and the tries followed.

I don’t know what Morgan Smithies is being fed at the moment but he has played like a man possessed the last few games in particular.

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Some of our passing was again sloppy at times, we have had several games this year where the offload is being forced or even basic passing has seen the ball over the head or at the toes of players, which needs addressing.

Another crucial injury to Cade Cust is a worry ahead of the play-offs.

Cust has been excellent this season, a quiet achiever guiding the team round the field and keen to take the line on, he will be a big loss if, as seems likely, he is missing for the rest of the year.

A special mention has to go to Harry Smith and his magic boot.

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At times last season our goal kicking was abject, and young Harry must have been putting in thousands of hours practising over the off season and during this year as he looks nailed on to land every kick at the moment, which will be crucial in the tight play off games.

The win of course meant that we finished the season unbeaten at home, a feat to be rightly proud of.

I loved Matt Peet’s response on Sky to Jenna Brooks pointing out four of eight teams to go unbeaten in Super League at home went on to win the Grand Final.

A terrible stat indeed. While it means little ahead of the play-offs, the fact so few teams have achieved this record in the last 27 seasons shows how hard it is to manage.

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The Wigan crowd has got behind the team more vocally as the season has gone on and we will need that to continue for the next, hopefully, two matches.

Farrell and Cust are huge losses and the team needs our support for the full 80 minutes.

When you look at some of the great Super League sides from Wigan, Saints, Leeds and Bradford over the years it is surprising so few teams have achieved a perfect home record.

It is credit to the staff and players that they have never allowed their standards to slip and even during games we’ve struggled for form we have still found a way to win.

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The recent 150th Year Celebration Dinner saw the announcement of the Wigan end of season awards.

Jai Field collecting both the Player of the Year and Players’ Player of the Year shows the huge impact he has had on the side.

Poor Adrian Lam must be thinking what might have been if Field and French had been fully available last year.

While his early try scoring streak has slowed a little, Field’s ability to create for the rest of the team is exceptional. I’ve lost count of how many of Bevan’s tries have been created by Jai.

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He is an absolute joy to watch and with Jai, Bevan and Liam on the field we will always have a chance in any game.

Bevan must have been close to Jai for the main award along with Liam Farrell, somehow getting better with age is the Ginger Pearl.

Harry Smith deservedly picked up the Young Player of the Year award in what has been a real coming of age year for him.

Overplayed last year, he has come on leaps and bounds, all the better for the game time he probably didn’t expect last season.

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His control of matches, onfield kicking and goal kicking have made him undroppable and hopefully we will be watching him for many years in the cherry and white.

I’m not sure of the age cut off for Young Player of the Year but Liam Byrne, if he qualifies, must have been very close to the award.

For me he has been our most consistent prop and has improved tenfold on last season as a player. Morgan Smithies has also been much improved and it is exciting to see where his career will lead.

Huge congratulations to both Sean O’Loughlin and Kris Radklinski on their induction into the clubs Hall of Fame.

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Both are loyal club men and legendary players who continue to have vital input into the future of our club and there are not two more deserving men of this honour.

The Super League Dream Team was announced this week. As usual everyone will have their own opinions and their favourites.

Jai Field, Bevan French and Liam Farrell were certainties to be included. Liam Marshall can count himself very unlucky to miss out, although Ken Sio has had an excellent year.

I may be biased but I think Welsby’s inclusion is lazy, clearly the golden boy of rugby league, certainly in Sky’s eyes.

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I don’t think he has played better than club mate Jonny Lomax, who has played most of the season with only one arm, or our own Harry Smith, but in the eyes of some he can do no wrong. For the most part it’s a fair selection with no glaring omissions.

Finally I would just like to congratulate our women’s team for their performance in the play-off semi final against York.

They have at times this year been on the wrong end of some big scorelines, which could have been very demoralising, but were outstanding on Sunday against an excellent York team.

The commitment to each other in defence was incredible and with the rub of the green here or there, they could have pinched the game.

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Hopefully this is a huge boost ahead of next season and they can push on to challenge Leeds, Saints and York for honours.

Glynn Bradshaw

It was a pretty routine win against Catalans, we weren’t great but we didn't need to be.

It is a bit worrying that we are picking up injuries at the wrong time.

It’s great to go unbeaten at home and the entertainment value has been first class, which should have a positive impact on season ticket sales for next season, especially if Bevan stays.

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Can’t argue too much with the end of season awards, although there would probably be a few players in contention for every award with the season we have had.

With regards to the Dream Team, I think Smith and Marshall could consider themselves a little unlucky not to be included, however I suppose every club could say the same.