Wigan Warriors: The 18th Man - 'This is a real banana skin, and one we need to get in front early...'

Our panel of Warriors experts run the rule over last weekend’s win over Toulouse Olympique, standout performers, the latest suspensions and Saturday’s trip to Bradford Bulls...

David Bailey:

Once again, the Warriors maintained their impressive winning streak. The total now stands at 11 successive games since we waved the white flag at Hull KR by playing the reserves and Patrick Mago.

The Toulouse game was a unique double-header with Salford and Swinton opening up, and whilst the quality was clearly not the highest level, I really enjoyed the flow of the game, the bit of biff, and the officials having to make decisions without: A) a video referee to chip in, and B) the threat of a captain’s challenge hanging over them. Whisper it quietly, but the Wigan official had a good game.

Onto the main event, and a slightly altered Wigan side started with Zach Eckersley and George O’Loughlin in the centres. Jake Wardle has looked a little leggy lately and a week off should do him the world of good. Matt Peet has assured us that Adam Keighran is back against Bradford, so that’s the centre dilemma solved, and I will come to the back-row issue later.

Toulouse shocked the Warriors early on and, once again, a flat game caught us off guard. I saw a stat that showed Wigan have gone behind in almost half of their games this season. Whilst the fitness levels help us come home with a wet sail, last season’s Grand Final showed what happens when you have to start chasing points and, as we hit the home run for the play-offs, I am sure Peet would prefer us to get out of this very bad habit.

Wigan played some great stuff (although Jai Field trying to be smart with an inside behind-the-back pass to Harry Smith when Liam Marshall was in acres of space wasn’t the time) and Bevan French and Field combined for an electrifying try. There are some great signs in attack from Wigan, and someone could be on the end of a hiding if the Warriors can stick to it and be disciplined and committed for 80 minutes.

It was also great to see the next intake of scholars be announced before the game. A strong cohort of Orrell St James and Leigh Miners Rangers kids were joined by three from Keighley Albion (who have had a staggering 19 of their Under-14s side sign scholarship forms), plus a couple from Crosfields in Warrington and representatives from Hindley Stags, Leigh East and Halton Farnworth Hornets. There were some big bodies for their years, which seems to be the norm in the pathway now and some very familiar names.

James Johnson, Harry Brown, Lochlan O’Carroll, Rocco Leuluai and Sonny West will have the proudest parents and will be hoping they too can make an impact on Super League in the future.

This week we play Bradford Bulls at Odsal for the first time in Super League in over 12 years. The Bulls were victorious that day.

Peet is also on the brink of completing his rugby league stadiums set. He has won at every Stadium he has coached Wigan at, across Europe and the USA. Odsal will be stadium number 28 and could extend his proud record (which after this weekend will next be tested at the Laya Arena in Dublin).

Whilst the Bulls will have some players back, Wigan should be confident of continuing their winning run and keeping pressure on Leeds at the top (and maintaining a gap to Wakefield).

The Warriors will be without Brad O’Neill for only the second time this season and, at the time of writing, the hooker spot could go a few ways. Taylor Kerr will obviously be in pole position to start but surely he can’t be expected to play the full 80.

Sam Walters is also missing after a careless hair pull against Toulouse. The new totting up system means Walters is walking a tightrope until the points expire next June. Any charge, no matter how small, will result in him sitting down for two games.

I’d imagine Sam Eseh and Shea O’Connor will both feature on the bench this week, but we await the second-row options alongside what I’d imagine will be Ollie Partington again. Regardless, the Warriors will be in the play-offs if they win, or St Helens lose, and the focus can solely remain on securing a top-two finish.

Glynn Bradshaw:

Yet another poor first half performance, but we got the job done in the end, with 30 points added onto the points difference column to boot.

We really do need to start better though. We know we can score points, but defensively we need to improve. We know Matty prides himself on our defence being the best in the competition, I think we are something like fourth best at the moment, and offensively, I think we are second best.

Credit to Toulouse, they really took the game to us, and credit to our defence in the second half when we were tested with penalties and six-agains. We need that commitment to defend from minute one.

I think the suspension of O’Neill is very harsh. It was nowhere near a tip tackle and I think a sin-bin was more than sufficient punishment, and Walters was unlucky trying to grab the guy’s collar and ended up pulling his hair, which should have been tied up to prevent this occurring. Having said all that, Walters does need to have a good look at himself as 12 games missed through suspension is unacceptable, and certainly the Challenge Cup final and the game at Wakefield, there are no excuses for his conduct... He is a good player who is spoiling himself.

My Player of the Year so far has to be O’Neill, who has played big minutes, closely followed by Keighran and Luke Thompson.

Sitting second in the Super League table is good but very frustrating when you consider the games we have lost, although I suppose every team could say the same. I just still can’t get my head around how we lost to Huddersfield and Castleford at home. Wakefield are still on our tails though and the game a week on Friday will be a massive test.

Firstly, though, is another trip over the Pennines to face a Bradford side who will still be smarting from a poor performance against Warrington. O’Neill will be a big loss and big boots for Taylor Kerr to fill. This is a real banana skin, and one we need to get in front early, because it won’t be easy.

I have booked to go to Dublin next year, along with many other Warriors fans. I’m really looking forward to what should be a good craic, and no doubt a good advert for Super League.

Fingers crossed for another Warriors victory.

Darren Wrudd:

Toulouse certainly turned up to play last week, didn’t they? I thought they started better than us in energy and shape, and posed a threat all game, even as we pulled away on points.

On reflection, their terrible choice of captain’s challenge on 22 minutes (never trust a forward!) gave us respite for several close calls in the second half and things could have been different. I never felt as though we would lose the game, but it could have ended much closer and that points difference could be crucial.

It was, however, a masterclass from Harry Smith on how to lead and direct a team. Up in the stands, we quite often bemoan a missed pass - ‘if he had just looked left’ or some such, but Harry seems to see them coming a couple of plays in advance.

I was a little worried that the added pressure of captaincy, kicking and being the general organiser of everyone might just weigh a little heavy on him, but I need not, because his professionalism is second to none. He must have borrowed Keighran’s boots too, as he was kicking them from all over. Peet paid great tribute to him in the review which says much about the value he brings to our squad.

Peet certainly knows what is important in dealing with players and staff... I would offer him a 20-year contract in a heartbeat.

The fly in the ointment, of course, was the discipline of one or two players. O’Neill’s tackle was certainly a penalty, but not malicious and not a sin-bin in my eyes, never mind a one-match ban.

That said, Walters has quickly become an expensive luxury. He has not proved his worth yet in my eyes and now another ban means he misses 12 games so far this year.

If he does not clean his game up and quickly, I fear his chances in the shirt will dry up. The tackle at first was not bad, a collar grab, but as he missed and grabbed the hair of the opponent, he had time to release and he let himself down badly. I hope he realises that he has much to prove to earn that heritage number and, at the moment, he has not made the grade.

This weekend, of course, we travel to Odsal... A long time since I have been there. The Bulls, like any other Super League team, have their moments and will need respecting to get the win - but I do expect a win. With Wardle due back, a little more order in the backline could make a difference, where we perhaps missed a pro centre a little last week.

We’re getting to the serious end of the year now and it is tough not having our destiny totally in our own hands, but I still think we have an amazing chance to seal all three trophies, but we must remain focused and turn up.