Wigan coach Adrian Lam refused to blame the news of the club’s two-point deduction for breaching the salary cap as having any sort of influence in their 22-12 defeat to St Helens – but admitted the timing of the announcement ‘wasn’t good’.
The RFL announced on Wednesday, 24 hours before the opening game of the 2019 season, that the reigning Super League champions would be docked two points owing to a breach of the cap in 2017 – a decision Wigan intend to appeal.
Lam refused to blame it for Wigan’s performance – which he admitted left him ‘confused’ – but said it was far from ideal in the build-up to the game.
“We talked about it, but I don’t think it had a role in the performance,” said Lam. “The timing wasn’t good from the club’s perspective – all off-season, and they tell us the day before, the timing wasn’t good.
“I found out yesterday.. but what can you do? I don’t know too much about it but I know the club’s fighting it and moving forward, hopefully it gets sorted out and the sooner the better for us.”
On Wigan’s performance, Lam said: “I knew we needed a good start but we dropped the ball in the first set, we were on the defensive and it took the gas out of us. They showed effort to get it back level, but when we needed the points in the second half we looked like we were in slow motion, we were just too gassed.”
Tony Clubb left the field and subsequently failed a head test – but Lam expects him to be fit to face Leeds next Friday.
