WIGAN SEASON REVIEW: Lam shows there is life after Wane

BY SAM HARRIS | @sam_harris96

The success of Wigan

This season has been another impressive one for Wigan Warriors, claiming the League Leaders Shield and reaching their first Grand Final since 2018.

They fell agonisingly short in the Grand Final, conceding a try after the hooter sounded in remarkable circumstances but not many would have expected them to run the Saints so close, highlighted with Adrian Lam being awarded Coach of the Year.

Not many would have tipped the Cherry and Whites to overhaul rivals St Helens at the top of the table and go one further but there are plenty of reasons for the turnaround.

Poor start costs Warriors in 2019

Last year Adrian Lam was brought in as interim head coach but struggled to begin with, recording just three wins in his first 11 matches.

Speculation and uncertainty surrounding his role with Warriors legend Shaun Edwards expected to take over from Lam for the 2020 season did little to help the club’s problems.

In an unusual Wigan campaign, the side who are renowned for their strong defence were shipping tries at an alarming rate, regularly conceding 20 or more points.

However, as the season wore on the side began to improve and the second half of season saw just one defeat, a run which also coincided with Lam being given the role permanently after Edwards rejected the club’s offer of a three-year deal.

Their famed defence was back, as they conceded 20 points or more on just two occasions in those 13 outings but they had been playing catch-up to St Helens all season, eventually finishing 16 points behind their rivals.

After overcoming Salford in the qualifying final, they were then thrashed by the Saints 40-10, further highlighting the gap between two of Super League’s most successful sides.

Facing Salford again in the semi-final saw another disappointing performance, losing 28-4 as it was clear the Cherry and Whites had an important off-season ahead of them going into the 2020 campaign.

 

Impressive recruitment

One of the main reasons Wigan have been able to catch-up with their rivals and produce an impressive, albeit shortened, season was their transfer market activity.

During his starring role at Salford, Jackson Hastings was one of the main reasons the club managed to reach their first Grand Final in 51 years, having seen off Wigan in the semi-final.

Wigan saw this as a major opportunity to lure the talented half-back to the DW Stadium to replace NRL-bound George Williams with the Australian at a club where he would consistently challenge for major trophies.

The 2019 Man of Steel has ensured the Warriors have not been overly affected by losing Williams, complementing Leuluai well and showing his versatility by often providing cover at hooker for Sam Powell.

His Red Devils teammate Jake Bibby also made the move to play under Adrian Lam and has excelled since moving out to the wing in the second half of the season and capped an impressive first season with a second successive Grand Final try after scoring against the Saints for Salford last year.

Signed mid-season in 2019, Bevan French, who was named the Rugby League Writers and Broadcasters' Association player of the year, has excelled in his first full season at the club, adding yet another dimension to the Wigan attack, leading the league in tackle busts and clean breaks.

 

Youth prospering

A constant theme in the history of Wigan has been their trust in their academy players, never shying away from giving youngsters extended game time in the Super League.

Renowned for their academy success, the Cherry and Whites claimed three successive Academy titles in 2017, 2018 and 2019 to make it a record nine Grand Finals in 11 years.

Stars this season include half-back Harry Smith who has experienced his first full campaign with the first team and showed a maturity beyond his 20 years when he controlled the semi-final against Hull, grabbing a deserved try and slotting over a drop goal.

Morgan Smithies is another off the conveyor belt and the 20-year-old backed up an outstanding debut season with a further solid campaign in 2019.

He has made 14 appearances so far and after making a record 72 tackles at loose-forward during a play-off win at Salford last year, the now England Knights player is seen as the perfect replacement for the retiring Sean O’Loughlin.

A third player to make his mark for Wigan has been Oliver Partington, who won the club’s Young Player of the Year award in 2019 alongside Smithies.

With 13 matches this season, he is in firm contention to be a mainstay in the Warriors pack for the next ten years.

Looking forward to 2021

With Wigan’s improved defensive resilience this season and an added attacking threat with the likes of Hastings and French, fans at the DW Stadium have every right to be optimistic for the following season.

To further add to their attacking armoury, half-back Jai Field has been signed from Parramatta with the 23-year-old offering competition for Hastings, Leulaui and Smith.

Despite inspirational skipper Sean O’Loughlin retiring, quality additions and academy players coming through should ensure Wigan are well prepared for the new campaign and there is no reason why they can’t go one further.