Season review 2009 Wigan Warriors season

1 season review

1.1 february
1.2 march
1.3 april
1.4 may
1.5 june
1.6 july
1.7 august
1.8 september
1.9 october

season review

february

wigan s season began on 8 february home defeat depleted wakefield trinity wildcats side had seventeen players fill squad due injuries, , death of adam watene during off-season. head coach brian noble blamed result on poor completion rate of 40%. wakefield took lead after dave halley crossed line in first minute, before scoring again via same player in fourteenth minute make 0–12 initiative, following 2 successful conversions tony martin. joel tomkins introduced game in second half scored try converted pat richards, wigan failed score again. richard mathers, sent-off twice in 2008, put sin-bin referee, richard silverwood, deliberate obstruction of halley, , match ended in first defeat wigan in 2009 campaign.

prior next match, warriors announced partnership university of central lancashire, part of effort promote rugby league in preston area, in exchange student team @ university displaying wigan warriors logo. news announced in same day mathers learned miss next 2 matches tripping halley, including club s next match against hull f.c. lost @ kc stadium. hull fc started strongly, wigan scored first off tim smith kick goulding , phelps resulted in try bailey. richard horne scored hull level scores @ 6–6 before last resort intervention kirk yeaman denied goulding try. scores therefore level @ half-time, , kick smith resulted in try richards bettered opposite winger, mark calderwood in air. 4 key players missing—riddell, phelps, bailey , richards—due injury, wigan tired in final quarter allowing chris thorman , peter cusack score late in game put tie beyond visiting team.

with mathers suspended , cameron phelps injured hamstring injury , 2 other injury concerns, karl pryce , shaun ainscough given places in initial 19-man squad take on castleford tigers. third defeat out of 3 matches came castleford won ten try game 22–28, result meant wigan s worst start season in twenty-four years. richards still missing due injury, conversions proved difference both teams scored 5 tries apiece, kickers roberts , riddell manage 1 successful kick whilst tigers kicker kirk dixon managed four. 2 disallowed castleford tries in first ten minutes followed 2 penalty goals dixon give castleford 0–4 lead. thomas leuluai s effort gave wigan try before joe westerman put tigers ahead again after 34 minutes. castleford scored again through brett ferres, dixon converting give castleford 6–16 lead @ half-time. wigan scored first after break try karl pryce, unconverted , castleford replied 2 more of own dixon , ferres scoring second try. wigan started fight back, through goulding try, , again through joel tomkins. ainscough marked debut fifty-yard try reduce deficit 2 points, michael shenton s try sealed victory castleford. michael mcilorum cited , suspended rugby football league after game dangerous throw on mitchell sargent. after failing gain point first 3 matches in season, noble s position head coach strengthened when ian lenagan publicly supported him, stating, brian experienced coach , m sure ll right. has had bad starts season before, , has starts.

wigan recorded first win of season 18–24 victory on harlequins rl @ twickenham stoop in london. ainscough scored first of 2 tries after break roberts down wing, , converted richards playing @ fullback replacement mathers omitted squad. chad randall punished joel tomkins handling error harlequins first try before matt gafa scored try home side make half-time score 10–6. on super league debut, sam tomkins—joel s younger brother—was involved in build-up carmont s try after second half had begun, , bailey scored try put wigan 10–14 ahead following 2 missed conversion attempts. disallowed try knock-on sharp followed knock-on carmont, before 40-20 gave louis mccarthy-scarsbrook chance score try in 64th minute. chris melling restored four-point lead home side ten minutes left in game after harrison hansen knocked-on. in 75th minute, randall s pass intercepted roberts easy intercept try richards converted give two-point lead, increased 6 ainscough scored final try of game.

march

the start of march start of reserve team s season, begin comfortable win against bradford bulls. richards scored twenty points including 8 goals , try first team earned first home victory of season, winning margin of thirty-four points. richards scored first of 7 wigan tries after 9 minutes, before hock broke defensive line put wigan 12–0 ahead. line break hock provided offload carmont scored third try. twenty-point gap emerged richards kicked penalty conceded paul sykes, before bradford scored first of 2 tries through rikki sheriffe after 48 minutes. hock replied scoring second try, before line break riddell handed try harrison hansen. wayne godwin broke leg after stopping iafeta palea aesina run, before palea aesina himself scored wigan s final try. steve menzies scored first bradford try before match ended.

wigan s run of victories short-lived lost away tie leeds rhinos after. unchanged wigan side tie against bradford score 2 tries, conceding 6 other way. victory rhinos fifth out of 5 matches, , ahead after 3 minutes 40–20 converted try kylie leuluai. error ainscough proved costly scott donald scored resulting turnover. upon half-hour mark, leeds 22–0 ahead after rob burrow touched down under sticks , 40–20 provided try, time ryan hall. ainscough scored wigan s first try following pass thomas leuluai, before wigan disallowed try after video referee phil bentham ruled sean o loughlin had obstructed burrow. hall scored second, besting roberts in air, after fifty minutes. peacock scored leeds sixth try, bursting through defensive line, whilst hock scored last try of game.

an away tie salford city reds more favourable wigan eased victory @ willows. salford had first major chance of game kick 18-year-old richie myler knocked-on jeremy smith. carmont replied, catching offload former-salford player andy coley, hand try ainscough. myler again created opportunity, karl fitzpatrick pushed touch. break via ainscough , riddell gave leuluai try, before myler scored salford s first try following kick jeremy smith. sam tomkins saw hole in defensive line , ran through it, scoring wigan s third try, before richards scored fourth make half-time score 22–6. wigan scored first again in second half sam tomkins scored half-way line, before ainscough scored second. myler , jeremy smith again combined former s second try, time pass, richards sealed game wigan after offloading leuluai second , wigan s seventh try. win dampened injury of ireland international eamon o carroll, fractured metatarsal bone during reserve game against salford.

in game 8–10 going final ten minutes, , had 3 players sent sin-bin, wigan lost third home game. amos roberts returned after being dropped reserves week before, whilst visiting huddersfield team contained 5 former wigan players. brett hodgson gave huddersfield initiative kicking penalty 0–2 lead, , hock responded knocked-on in act of scoring try. bailey scored try wigan, richards failed convert, , score made level after kicked penalty brett hodgson. scott moore gave huddersfield lead again after run dummy half give 4–10 lead, despite take-out on leuluai before half-time went unpenalised. luke robinson sin-binned delaying play , roberts made advantage count, grounded ball in touch , try disallowed. darrell griffin , hansen sin-binned fight, before passing along backs lead roberts try, richards again failed convert. ainscough fumbled kick robinson, , michael lawrence punished mistake scoring try huddersfield. brown scored minutes later put game beyond wigan.

april

the fourth round of 2009 challenge cup occupied first weekend of april, , super league clubs meant first challenge cup ties. in march, wigan learned face away tie barrow raiders, , expected match held in front of first sell-out crowd @ barrow s craven park twenty-five years. game still in balance fiftenn minutes time, barrow trailing wigan 4 points @ 20–24, following match had seen shaun ainscough hat-trick , wigan s defensive frailties exploited again. result pivoted on forward pass decision ruled out barrow try, minutes before pryce scored controversial try wigan in appeared have knocked-on, twelve minutes left play. try tomkins sealed win wigan advance them fifth round of competition.

on day after, confirmed martin gleeson transfer wigan warrington wolves, on 3 , half-year contract. signing came after warrington had left gleeson out of squad defeated york city knights in fourth round cup tie, meaning gleeson eligible play wigan in future cup games. wigan reported wigan evening post have spent gb£110,000 , given richie mathers in return gleeson. on day after gleeson s signing announced, draw challenge cup s fifth round took place. wigan received away tie wakefield trinity wildcats.

gleeson featured in first derby match of year against st helens rlfc. ainscough put home wigan side ahead after 9 minutes try on wing, following kick leuluai. richards missed conversion, , wigan went 4 points ahead before st helens replied try of own through keiron cunningham, paul wellens making conversion. hock had try disallowed double movement, , later on high tackle on paleaaesina gave roberts opportunity level scores, succeeded draw score @ 6–6 @ half time. ainscough again carved out lead wigan in second half, , roberts converted sideline. 2 quick st helens tries through matt gidley , leon pryce gave visitors 12–18 lead, , kyle eastmond drop goal sealed match them.

prior next match, barrow raiders confirmed had signed lee mossop on month-long loan.

despite providing close fight against st helens, club s visit perpignan away tie against catalans dragons ended in third consecutive loss. dragons scored first through dimitri pelo s try in second minute. wigan scored fourteen points in return, 3 tries roberts, ainscough , gleeson , 1 conversion 4–14 lead. ten-point lead proved precarious catalans ran in thirty-six unanswered points, first of them coming through greg bird try. grégory mounis scored next, , thomas bosc kicked conversion give home side lead, , jason ryles gained try before half-time. catalans fullback clint greenshields scored first after break , scored next try. ryles scored second try of own open twenty-six-point deficit. tomkins , richards gave wigan 2 late tries, match finished.

similarly mossop, darrell goulding completed transfer salford city reds on month-long loan deal. after extension deal in may, goulding recalled on 7 july cope injury crisis.

the club s next match against newly promoted crusaders, had not won match yet in super league season coming fixture. celtic led after 2 minutes, when luke dyer pounced try after phelps mistakenly let ball bounce in-goal area. richards replied try on wing, before o loughlin gathered own kick solo try present lead home wigan side. 2 more tries came wigan before half-time riddell , roberts both scoring 1 each. sam tomkins scored not long after break run palea asesina. carmont stretched lead further try of own, , o loughlin scored second try of match. damien quinn sin-binned in 100th competitive appearance crusaders—marshall chalk sin-binned later on. richards claimed second try instantly after quinn s dismissal. mark dalle cort scored late celtic try , captain jace van dijk converted, wigan had try before game ended, sam tomkins grounding second try of match—his team s ninth—to complete convincing victory home side.

transfer news occupied break between win , warriors second league match against wakefield trinity wildcats. wigan evening post reported club, leeds rhinos, interested in signing richie myler salford city reds, although neither club successful in approaches player. warrington wolves sign myler later in year. meanwhile, thomas leuluai extended contract club further 3 years.

george carmont had replaced @ short notice prior kick-off against club s next opponents, wakefield trinity wildcats. shaun ainscough recalled take place in team, , scored 4 tries give side second consecutive win. wakefield, celtic, put first points on scoreboard after damien blanch received kick danny brough try on wing, brough converting 6–0 lead. tim smith linked cameron phelps, switched fullback center in carmont s absence, wigan s first try. phelps turned provider work gave ainscough 2 tries in 9 minutes 6–16 lead, before wigan s indiscipline gave brough penalty , try following handling error stand-in fullback, pat richards. ainscough scored again on wing complete hat-trick, wakefield replied after brough intercepted pass martin gleeson , returned 45 metres second try make scores 20–22 @ half time. wakefield took lead shortly after break blanch took advantage of ainscough s weak defence second try. wakefield s last try of match, phelps gathered kick smith score try next posts richards converted successfully. riddell injured hamstring, , despite wakefield pressure, wigan scored again run sam tomkins led try ainscough—his sixteenth in ten matches. gleeson scored in final ten minutes put game beyond home side s reach.

may

ahead of 2009 magic weekend fixture against st helens rlfc, thomas leuluai learned not called play in 2009 anzac test, news welcomed brian noble, stated new zealand had, enough southern hemisphere-based kiwis cope. leuluai instead took membership of wigan side recorded third successive league win @ murrayfield stadium on st helens rlfc side including james graham, had complained earlier in week event s location being far away. wigan had lost st helens @ magic weekend event in 2007 , 2008, 34–18 , 57–16 respectively, wigan s captain sean o loughlin scored game s first try after 7 minutes. pat richards scored match s second try following kick o loughlin, , added both conversions give wigan 12–0 lead. further extended after gareth hock scored after 29 minutes. sean long gained try st helens grubber kick rebounded off leuluai, before break sam tomkins fed older brother joel try before half time. 2 minutes after break, wigan kicked penalty stretch lead 26–6, , wigan ended hope of st helens comeback leuluai scored following break down wing richards. st helens scored next 2 tries through leon pryce , paul wellens, long kicking both conversions, richards scored second try , kicked conversion take personal haul twenty-two, , end match 38–18. noble s contract due expire @ end of season, ian lenagan praised him wigan s biggest derby win in 6 years on st helens, refused offer assurances noble s future @ club, after bradford bulls refuted claim wanted replace steve mcnamara noble.

for next match, players again returned belle vue, 2 weeks after league win. wakefield trinity wildcats coached john kear, twice winner of cup head coach, in 2005 hull, , in 1998 when sheffield eagles side defeated wigan 17–8 in final, 3 years after wigan s last of record 8 consecutive challenge cup final victories. match did not start in wigan s favour, danny brough provided passes jason demetriou , tevita leo-latu, , kicked conversion give wildcats 10–0 lead. wigan went in ahead @ half time though. wigan got first points try on wing richards, , try michael mcilorum following gareth hock pass. brough kicked drop-goal give wakefield point lead, cameron phelps scored third wigan try after sean o loughlin broke line own half. wakefield went ahead third time twelve minutes after break, grubber kick brough being gathered tony martin. stuart fielden scored first try in 2 years before sam tomkins finished game try of own making. fourth goal of match meant final scores 17–28; win wigan advanced them quarter-finals. day after, draw next round played 3 weeks later made, wigan receiving home tie against salford city reds.

following run of 4 games, club s next match against hull kingston rovers. preparations boosted news sam tomkins not receive match ban conduct against wakefield in challenge cup tie. goulding extended loan spell @ salford city reds, condition wigan recall him 24 hours notice. match seemed heading towards 6–0 lead wigan @ half-time, after sean o loughlin scored try , richards kicked goal, controversial try scored michael dobson after hooter had sounded awarded referee, richard silverwood. incensed, wigan started second half converted try captain, o loughlin, final score of match. paul cooke collected own kick solo try, , jake webster put hull kr lead, dobson kicking both goals six-point advantage. late penalty kicked dobson 2 ponts, concluding match in favour of hull kr. match ended wigan s run of 4 victories, , placed hull kr temporarily @ top of super league xiv table.

following loan spell @ barrow, lee mossop transferred huddersfield giants on month-long loan. prior wigan s next match against warrington wolves, noble, contract @ wigan due expire @ end of 2009, publicly admitted becoming impatient lack of offer club extend contract, after reports in sydney morning herald linked him coaching role @ sydney roosters. wigan had not won game in warrington since 2003, , despite leading on half match, failed break record. warrington charged down 2 kicks, before kick thomas leuluai on third set of 6 tackles lead cameron phelps scoring match s opening try. poor discipline ben westwood gave penalty, , wigan took advantage when joel tomkins held on try-line in act of scoring former wigan full-back, richie mathers. wigan again launched next attack after forcing goal line drop out, try amos roberts disallowed because of knock-on pat richards. warrington applied sustained twenty minute period of pressure, errors westwood , briers kept them off scoresheet. briers weighted next kick better, matt king out-jumping shaun ainscough score warrington s first try. bridge s missed conversion meant wigan lead 6–4 @ half-time, , penalty kicked richards in second half meant lead increased 2 points. warrington gained lead after 55 minutes after chris riley punished stuart fielden , andy coley giving away successive penalties try in corner. michael monaghan shimmied past 3 wigan defenders finish game off warrington try.

tim smith had been left out of tie against warrington owing family illness, , did not return home country, australia, in time wigan s challenge cup tie against salford city reds, george carmont returned injury. fielden forced miss game, after receiving one-match ban raising knee in tackle during defeat warrington. without smith , fielden, wigan comprehensively beat salford city reds 28–6 advance semi-finals stage of tournament. gareth hock gave home side lead, before salford equalised try luke adamson. wigan replied taking lead george carmont try, , have scored again after hock broke line, sam tomkins knocked-on. knock-on, time richards, denied wigan try. salford launched repeated attacks on wigan line in second half, through mark henry , stefan ratchford, before willie talau pushed touch sam tomkins. penalty richards added 2 more points wigan s total, , scored second try, followed third on 70 minutes second hat-trick in wigan jersey. hock scored final try, second, after tomkins had come close, finish game in favour of warriors. wigan therefore entered first challenge cup semi-final since 2007, when defeated catalans dragons @ halliwell jones stadium in warrington, , warrington wolves drawn 2009 semi-final opponents.

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october