Are Wigan Warriors a match for the Super League's finest?

In 1987 Wigan won 29 straight games – a world record for any league club side. Although they had much success before this, it heralded the beginning of an incredible era. The same year Wigan defeated the Manly Warringah 8-2, the first time in nine years that any English team had defeated any Australian side.

From 1987 to 1995 the Warriors were dominant in the most spectacular fashion – winning seven straight league titles and an astonishing eight straight Challenge Cups. In 1994, in the World Club challenge, Wigan defeated current Australian premiers Brisbane Broncos at ANZ Stadium in Brisbane, the only time a British club side has beaten a premier side on their home soil.

Wigan were the first club league side to have full-time professional players, which gave them massive advantages until 1996 when other clubs ceased to be amateur.

In 1998 Wigan won the title, despite increasing competitiveness and titles from all teams including traditional powerhouses St Helens (five titles since 1996) and Bradford Bulls (four titles since 1996). But in this time they suffered the greatest upset in league history, losing to Sheffield Eagles in a Cup tie, and losing to Castleford Tigers in their first match at the JJB stadium. The Warriors won their last Super League title 10  years ago.

Wigan have recently experienced their worst period in their illustrious history. In the middle of 2005 Ian Millward was appointed head coach and his reign started horribly. They lost a Super League match 70-0 to the Leeds Rhinos and then, in a Challenge Cup match, lost to St Helens 75-0. Warriors finishing seventh in Super League, missing the play-offs for the first time in the tournament’s history.

The following year it was déjà vu as Wigan won just one of their first eight rounds, which led to the sacking of Millward, and Wigan were faced with the embarrassment of relegation. It was then that Bradford Bulls and Great Britain coach Brian Noble was appointed

It has not been smooth sailing for any coach of the great club in this time. The Wigan coaching job had turned into a death sentence, with Noble the fifth coach in less than a decade.

In 2006 they buttressed their playing stocks, purchasing Stuart Fielden from Bradford for nearly half a million pounds – making him the world’s most costly player – and, to further indicate their woes Kris Radlinski came out of retirement to “play for free”. A sequence of solid results prevented them from relegation before another crisis hit.

In both 2005 and 2006 the club was found guilty of breaching the salary cap, being fined £50,000 and docked competition points in both years.

The end of 2007 saw Brian Noble’s embattled men recapture some of the form that has made them one of the world’s premier league teams. The last round of the regular season saw them overcome the defending champions Saint Helens 20-12 which enabled the Warriors to retain 6th place in the league table and progress to the final series.

September 21 2007 played witness to one of the greatest comebacks in Rugby league. In the first elimination game, Wigan were trailing 30-6 against an impressive Bradford Bulls outfit. The Warriors then scored four tries in 18 minutes to tie the game, and then Pat Richards knocked over a sublime drop goal to win the epic match. Wigan were eventually knocked out by eventual champions Leeds Rhinos.

Wigan opened their account in 2008 in a fashion that would have the fans smiling again. They are currently ranked second in the table, and Brian Noble’s and Sean O’Loughlin’s men are looking like championship vintage again.

Their recent victory over defending champions Leeds in their own backyard was impressive, more so as they were without their star playmaker and former St George luminary Trent Barrett.

They have been impressive defensively, with the third stingiest defence in the league – and some dominating play close to the ruck and around the traffic. They have at times been found wanting out wide, both on cover but also at times on attack. As the sixth-ranked offensive team in the competition, they have not killed off teams like other leading squads – and this will need to be addressed as the season advances.

They will have it all to do against the might of the reigning title holders – but with St Helens, their traditional rivals, struggling this season (despite smashing Wigan in March) in seventh place, they look to be the strongest threat to the champions. But five of their last 17 games are against the champions and Saints – and a further five games are against top four teams.

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