Wigan Warriors played in the Super League XIV and Challenge Cup in the 2009 season.
Background
Following Brian Noble's move from the Bradford Bulls to the Wigan Warriors in 2006, his third full season at the club took place in 2009. The season was also the first in which the Super League operated under a franchise system, after the Wigan Warriors were granted a 'B' license. The salary cap, which the club broke in 2007, was still in effect for this season, and the limit remained at GBP£1.7 million; the cap was maintained 'live', in continuation of an operational change by the Rugby Football League in 2008. As an ever-present club in the Super League format, this season was the Wigan Warriors' fourteenth year in the competition. This year also marked the tenth anniversary of rugby league at the JJB Stadium, after the club moved there upon the stadium's completion in 1999.
In contrast to the club's historical success, Wigan Warriors had not won a major trophy since 2002, when they defeated St Helens R.F.C. 12–21 in the Challenge Cup final. They had only won the Super League title once, in 1998. In the previous season the Wigan Warriors finished fourth in the league table meaning they qualified for the play-offs, and after defeating Bradford Bulls and Catalans Dragons, the club fell short of the 2008 Super League Grand Final after losing to Leeds Rhinos at Headingley for the second year running.
Pre-season
Following their knock-out at the hands of Leeds, the task of acquiring new players began. 2008 was influential stand-off Trent Barrett's last season for the Warriors, after he signed for the Cronulla Sharks for the 2009 National Rugby League (NRL) season; Barrett himself insisted that Tim Smith could replace him, after Smith was released by Parramatta Eels following an episode of bipolar disorder. It was also to be the last season for Liam Colbon and Mark Calderwood, who both transferred away from the club. An attempt to sign the Canberra Raiders' Todd Carney ended after Huddersfield Giants signed him instead. The club prevented a possible cross-code transfer with George Carmont to rugby union by extending his contract. Wigan eventually signed their first new player with former Sydney Roosters player Amos Roberts, who was released from his contract a year prematurely, but lost another player to the Warrington Wolves in Mickey Higham. Joel Tomkins, a Wigan Warriors Youth Development product, also extended his contract until the end of the 2011 season. Rumours about a move for Ryan McGoldrick ended after he publicly ruled out any possible transfer. The question over Barrett's successor in the stand-off position was again raised when Tim Smith, who was on holiday in his native Australia at the time, approached the Cronulla Sharks seeking a return to the NRL, although the club did not pursue any deal with Smith and he therefore stayed at Wigan for the 2009 season. Greg Bird, who had been suspended by Cronulla Sharks for an alleged assault on his girlfriend was also cited by The Independent as a target for the Warriors, but any plans of a transfer were initially denied by the club's chairman, Ian Lenagan. On 30 January 2009, Lenagan confirmed it was unlikely there would be any more signings for the new season, having acquired two new players (Amos Roberts and Mark Riddell), after attempts to sign Richard Moore from Wakefield Trinity Wildcats failed.
The 2008 Rugby League World Cup was held in Australia during the off-season, and several Wigan players from the 2008 season were involved in matches concerning their own international teams. Pat Richards, Eamon O'Carroll and Michael McIlorum were called by the Irish team, with Paul Prescott missing out due to a back injury. Carmont and Harrison Hansen were selected for the Samoan national team. Stuart Fielden was omitted from the England squad but Calderwood, Higham and Gareth Hock all received places. Thomas Leuluai became the only Super League player from the 2008 season to win the World Cup when the New Zealand team he played hooker for defeated the Australian team 20–34 in the final.
Wigan played three friendly matches after the World Cup, the first being a 4–44 victory over Warrington Wolves at the Halliwell Jones Stadium during the traditional festive season, in which Riddell and Karl Pryce both made their first-team debuts. The Warriors played in a changed pink and black-hooped jersey in support of a local hospice, as Sam Tomkins completed a twenty-minute hat-trick, Richard Mathers and Pryce scored a double each, and Shaun Ainscough and Joel Tomkins also picked up one try apiece. The next match against Huddersfield Giants proved to be more difficult, as Carmont scored a last-minute try to hand Wigan a narrow victory at the Galpharm Stadium, with Riddell scoring two tries and Fielden being sin-binned in the first half. On the official opening on the new Leigh Sports Village and a week before the new Super League season began, the Warriors whitewashed their local rivals Leigh Centurions by 0–32 with a squad in which both new signings, Roberts and Riddell, were left out of.
LEGEND
Win
Draw
Loss
Opponent Score H/A Date Warrington Wolves 4–44 Away 28 December 2008 Huddersfield Giants 24–28 Away 25 January 2009 Leigh Centurions 0–32 Away 30 January 2009
Season overview
February Round 17 – Wakefield Trinity WildcatsDate: 8 February Venue: JJB Stadium Referee: R Silverwood
Half-time: 0–10 Attendance: 14,377 RFL report
WIGAN 6–12 Wakefield Tries: J Tomkins Tries: D Halley (2) Goals: P Richards Goals: T Martin (2)
Wigan's season began on 8 February with a home defeat to a depleted Wakefield Trinity Wildcats side which only had seventeen players to fill their squad with due to injuries, and the death of Adam Watene during the off-season. Head coach Brian Noble blamed the result on a poor completion rate of 40%. Wakefield took an early lead after Dave Halley crossed the line in the first minute, before scoring again via the same player in the fourteenth minute to make a 0–12 initiative, following two successful conversions by Tony Martin. Joel Tomkins was introduced into the game in the second half as he scored a try which was converted by Pat Richards, but Wigan failed to score again. Richard Mathers, who was sent-off twice in 2008, was put into the sin-bin by the referee, Richard Silverwood, for the deliberate obstruction of Halley, and match ended in the first defeat for Wigan in their 2009 campaign.
Round 1 – Hull FCDate: 13 February Venue: KC Stadium Referee: P Bentham
Half-time: 6–6 Attendance: 14,523 RFL report
Hull FC 18–10 WIGAN Tries: R Horne, P Cusack, L Radford Tries: P Richards, P Bailey Goals: D Tickle (3) Goals: P Richards
Prior to their next match, the Warriors announced a partnership with the University of Central Lancashire, as part of an effort to promote rugby league in the Preston area, in exchange for the student team at the university displaying the Wigan Warriors logo. This news was announced on the same day Mathers learned he would miss the next two matches for tripping Halley, including the club's next match against Hull F.C. which they lost at the KC Stadium. Hull FC started strongly, but Wigan scored first off a Tim Smith kick to Goulding and Phelps which eventually resulted in a try for Bailey. Richard Horne scored for Hull to level the scores at 6–6 before a last resort intervention from Kirk Yeaman denied Goulding a try. The scores were therefore level at half-time, and a kick from Smith resulted in another try for Richards who bettered his opposite winger, Mark Calderwood in the air. With four key players missing—Riddell, Phelps, Bailey and Richards—due to injury, Wigan tired in the final quarter allowing Chris Thorman and Peter Cusack to score late in the game to put the tie beyond the visiting team.
Round 2 – Castleford TigersDate: 20 February Venue: JJB Stadium Referee: S Ganson
Half-time: 6–16 Attendance: 12,079 RFL report
WIGAN 22–28 Castleford Tries: K Pryce, D Goulding, S Ainscough, T Leuluai, J Tomkins Tries: M Shenton, K Dixon, B Ferres (2), J Westerman Goals: A Roberts Goals: K Dixon (4)
With Mathers suspended and Cameron Phelps injured with a hamstring injury and two other injury concerns, Karl Pryce and Shaun Ainscough were given places in the initial 19-man squad to take on Castleford Tigers. A third defeat out of three matches came as Castleford won a ten try game 22–28, a result which meant Wigan's worst start to a season in twenty-four years. With Richards still missing due to injury, conversions proved to be the difference as both teams scored five tries apiece, but kickers Roberts and Riddell could only manage one successful kick whilst the Tigers' kicker Kirk Dixon managed four. Two disallowed Castleford tries in the first ten minutes were followed by two penalty goals by Dixon to give Castleford a 0–4 lead. Thomas Leuluai's effort gave Wigan a try before Joe Westerman put the Tigers ahead again after 34 minutes. Castleford scored again through Brett Ferres, with Dixon converting to give Castleford a 6–16 lead at half-time. Wigan scored first after the break thanks to a try from Karl Pryce, but this was unconverted and Castleford replied with two more of their own with Dixon and Ferres scoring his second try. Wigan started a fight back, initially through a Goulding try, and then again through Joel Tomkins. Ainscough marked his debut with a fifty-yard try to reduce the deficit to two points, but Michael Shenton's try sealed the victory for Castleford. Michael McIlorum was also cited and suspended by the Rugby Football League after the game for a dangerous throw on Mitchell Sargent. After failing to gain a point from the first three matches in the season, Noble's position as head coach was strengthened when Ian Lenagan publicly supported him, stating, "Brian is a very experienced coach and I'm sure we'll get this right. He has had bad starts to the season before, and he has good starts."
Round 3 – Harlequins Rugby LeagueDate: 28 February Venue: Twickenham Stoop Referee: T Alibert
Half-time: 10–6 Attendance: 3,883 RFL report
Harlequins RL 18–24 WIGAN Tries: C Melling, M Gafa, C Randall, L McCarthy-Scarsbrook Tries: A Roberts, P Bailey, G Carmont, S Ainscough (2) Goals: D Orr Goals: P Richards (2)
Wigan recorded their first win of the season with an 18–24 victory over Harlequins RL at the Twickenham Stoop in London. Ainscough scored his first of two tries after a break from Roberts down the wing, and it was converted by Richards who was playing at fullback as a replacement for Mathers who was omitted from the squad. Chad Randall punished Joel Tomkins' handling error for Harlequins' first try before Matt Gafa scored another try for the home side to make the half-time score 10–6. On his Super League debut, Sam Tomkins—Joel's younger brother—was involved in the build-up to Carmont's try after the second half had begun, and Bailey scored another try to put Wigan 10–14 ahead following two missed conversion attempts. A disallowed try for a knock-on by Will Sharp was followed by a knock-on from Carmont, before a 40-20 gave Louis McCarthy-Scarsbrook a chance to score a try in the 64th minute. Chris Melling restored a four-point lead for the home side with ten minutes left in the game after Harrison Hansen knocked-on. In the 75th minute, Randall's pass was intercepted by Roberts for an easy intercept try which Richards converted to give a two-point lead, which was increased to six as Ainscough scored the final try of the game.
March Round 4 – Bradford BullsDate: 7 March Venue: JJB Stadium Referee: B Thaler
Half-time: 18–0 Attendance: 12,588 RFL report
WIGAN 44–10 Bradford Tries: P RichardsG CarmontI Palea'aesinaG Hock (2)H Hansen (2)Goals: P Richards (8) Tries: R SheriffeS MenziesGoals: P Deacon