WELL done, Wigan, deserved Super League champions for the first time since 2018.
Saturday’s Grand Final against a pretty toothless Catalans, who didn’t help themselves with those two yellow cards, certainly wasn’t a classic.
But the Warriors got the job done at Old Trafford, having topped the table at the end of the regular season.
It’s said that defence wins matches, but you still have to score more points than the opposition, and Wigan, who had a superior cutting edge and always looked that bit more threatening, did just that with big-game specialist Liam Marshall delivering the goods again.
What a great way for Ian Lenagan to end his tenure running the club, and full marks to him and Kris Radlinski for taking the bold and brave decision to make Matty Peet coach two years ago.
Many saw giving a rookie one of the biggest jobs in the game as a big gamble, but Wigan clearly knew they had a gem on their hands.
Matt has already won the three trophies in the domestic game, the Challenge Cup last year and League Leaders’ Shield and title this, and he’s changed the style of play for the better and clearly instilled a great culture at the club.
It’s hard not to like this version of Wigan, and with the signings made for next season, including two from Catalans in Adam Keighran and Tiaki Chan alongside Kruise Leeming, Luke Thompson and Sam Walters, added to those who are staying at the club, they’re going to be a major force in forthcoming years as well.
Can Saints recover their title?
IT MUST have seemed very strange for anyone connected with St Helens, be they players, officials, staff or supporters, to watch another side lift the Super League trophy on Saturday.
Saints had such a grip on the title, but all runs come to an end, and now the challenge for Chairman Eamonn McManus, chief executive Mike Rush, coach Paul Wellens, his staff and the players is to get firmly back on track.
Let’s not forget Saints are the World Club Champions, and although they won’t be defending that crown, beating Penrith Panthers in Australia was a fantastic and memorable feat.
I still think that start-of-season trip, and all it entailed, had more of a knock-on effect than some people think, and you got the feeling that Saints were always playing catch-up, and couldn’t quite get to where they wanted and needed to be.
It spelled a flying start to Wellens’ tenure, but it also gave him some problems.
Some people have questioned the coach, but I have no issue with him, because I think he’s a smart bloke who knows the game and the club inside out and has served a long apprenticeship under some very good mentors.
He will have learned valuable lessons from his first season at the helm, and I expect Saints to bounce back, albeit with a slightly different side, given that James Roby and Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook will no longer be around.
Both have been superb players and have given outstanding service to the club, and one of the biggest issues facing McManus, Rush and Wellens over the next few years is dealing with the continued break-up of a fine side, because it’s going to happen.
And we’ve all seen how Leeds struggled to do that.
Shooting England in the foot
CAN you really imagine a scenario where Australia would have allowed Nathan Cleary to be suspended or New Zealand would have accepted a ban for Shaun Johnson for a run-of-the mill incident while on club duty?
Once again, we’re left scratching our heads by our disciplinary chiefs after George Williams ended up with a two-match penalty for a shoulder charge during Warrington’s play-off against St Helens, which will keep the England captain out of the first two Tonga Tests.
I’m not convinced it warranted one game – but to double the suspension after an appeal seems ridiculous.
I read that Warrington are serious about another appeal to try to free Williams for all three internationals, the first at St Helens on Sunday.
If that appeal fails, could the ban be stretched to three matches? Who knows with this lot?
Left with such uncertainty over when his skipper and key player will be available, Shaun Wane must feel like he’s doing his job with one hand tied behind his back.
And if it turns out that Williams has to miss the first two games, by the time the third, at Headingley on Saturday, November 4, comes around, it will have been five weeks since he last played, so how ready for such an intense match would he be?
Tests don’t come around very often, so when they do, Wane really needs to be able to call on as many of his top players as possible.
There is also the commercial aspect, and the punters who shell out to watch want to see the best taking on the best.
We’re taking about the disciplinary process far too much and we’re making ourselves a laughing stock.
The whole thing needs an overhaul.
Have Rovers blown it?
HAVE Featherstone fluffed their final chance of getting into Super League?
They’ve been trying for long enough, and you got the feeling that if it didn’t happen this year, then it probably isn’t going to.
So much effort and investment has been put into improving the stadium, forging even stronger links with the local community, beefing up the playing squad and trying to find a coach to unlock the door to the top division.
Rovers finished twelve points clear at the head of the table this year and 18 points and four places above London Broncos, yet still lost to them in the play-off semi-finals.
That might seem more than a little unfair, but that’s the system and everyone knows it at the outset.
When it comes to those crunch clashes, Featherstone just don’t seem to be able to handle the pressure, and every year it happens, the harder it becomes to break the cycle.
Now the club will be conducting another post mortem into another failed season, and Chairman Mark Campbell, who has been doing his best for Rovers for the last 15 years or so, has already made it pretty clear that the playing budget will have to be scaled back.
And with other clubs, like their neighbours Wakefield, pushing for success, the Championship isn’t going to get any easier.
Thanks for Paul Gill support
A BIG thanks to everyone who helped organise and attended Friday’s special evening to support of Paul Gill, my old Leeds team-mate who is battling motor neurone disease, and raise funds for research into the condition.
Clayton Conservative Club, his local in Bradford, were superb hosts and the place was packed with genuine Rugby League people.
I’m delighted to say the tally topped £10,000, a brilliant effort by everyone who was present and all those who donated items for auction, and of course bought them.
As I said last week, there are further events in the pipeline.
