Wigan head across the Pennines tonight to face Huddersfield in a game which could go a long way to determining how they approach the Super 8s next month.
Win, and with the top six all playing each other elsewhere on Friday, it could reopen the door on a top-four assault in the bid to retain their Super League title.
However, if they fail to win, it would not only reduce the chances of the Warriors making Old Trafford, but it would equal an incredible 117-year record.
If Wigan don’t win, it would be an eighth game in succession without a victory. The last time a run of that type occurred in the same single season was in the 1899-00 season!
That stat comes courtesy of Wigan aficionado @wiganrlfans on Twitter, who this week said:
Last time Wigan went 8 league games without victory, all within the same season, was back in 1899-00 when they lost first 11 of that season.
— Bilko (@wiganrlfans) June 19, 2017
That’s quite the run since eight league games without a win occurred for the Warriors.
Incidentally, that run of 1899-00 is markedly different to the one they’re currently one in so many ways; not least the scores and the teams they were playing.
The first eight games of that season, which Wigan lost all of, were:
- Wigan 0-9 Runcorn (Saturday 2 September 1899)
- Stockport 18-5 Wigan (Saturday 9 September 1899)
- Millom 9-5 Wigan (Saturday 23 September 1899)
- Wigan 0-8 Swinton (Saturday 30 September 1899)
- Wigan 0-6 Warrington (Saturday 7 October 1899)
- St Helens 5-0 Wigan (Saturday 14 October 1899)
- Wigan 3-9 Widnes (Saturday 21 October 1899)
- Broughton Rangers 21-0 Wigan (Saturday 28 October 1899)
Amazingly, Wigan scored only three tries in those eight games – including just one at home! They went on to lost their first 11 games of that season, incidentally.
Furthermore, the last time Wigan went eight league games without a victory at any point was shortly after that: in 1903.
Surely history can’t repeat itself tonight? If it does, it will result in the equalling of a quite astonishing record.
