Brad Singleton has paid credit to Wigan’s coaching staff and his team-mates after they booked their place in the Challenge Cup final with a gripping win over St Helens.
A late Liam Marshall try helped the Warriors knock out St Helens at Elland Road.
In a see-sawing, entertaining encounter, two tries from Marshall proved the difference as Wigan edged the contest.
“I thought we got the start right,” said Singleton, who joined Wigan from Toronto Wolfpack in 2020 when the Canadian club pulled out of Super League, after nine seasons with Leeds Rhinos.
“We obviously knew that Saints would have a say in this game, so it was about working out to get back the momentum swing. I thought we did that with the effort from 1 to 17 and all the coaching staff should get the credit. This side last year was probably a million miles away from a Challenge Cup final, so credit to all the staff.
“It’s an amazing feeling.”
And Singleton believes that victory over St Helens will give Wigan more confidence for the rest of the season.
“You grow in belief in the big games,” he said.
“There are signs that we’re a good team. It’s a results-based industry and we’ll have to see the picture at the end of the year to judge ourselves.
“But the signs are good. There’s a fantastic atmosphere in our dressing room. There’s a great bond between staff and players.
“We feel like there’s a real connection with all the fans and it’s positive on all fronts.”
In a tough battle in the middle of the field, Wigan came out on top and will now face Huddersfield at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on 28 May.
“The forward pack probably got questioned last year,” Singleton admitted.
“Since then we’ve made some great additions in Patrick Mago and Kaide Ellis. And Ethan Havard, Liam Byrne and Morgan Smithies have all stepped up. It’s a year on and there’s massive camaraderie here. In the middle it’s all based around effort. Everyone can make a tackle and everyone can make a carry, and the big games will be won in those effort areas.”
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