2010 Wigan Warriors season
Encyclopedia
The 2010 Wigan Warriors season is the club
's fifteenth season in the Super League
, since its launch in 1996. Wigan Warriors entered the season following their sixth-placed league finish and subsequent play-off knock-out in the 2009 Super League season
, as well as their semifinal knock-out in the 2009 Challenge Cup
. The 2010 season is the eleventh year in which rugby league
has been played at the town
's DW Stadium.
Michael Maguire
started in his position as the new head coach of the club during this season, following Brian Noble
's departure. It is also the first season for Paul Deacon
, who signed for the club in November 2009. It was the first season in which the captaincy of the team was allocated through a newly formed leadership team of five players (later expanded to six players).
The season covers the period between 1 November 2009 and 31 October 2010. The season started officially for the club when they defeated Crusaders RL 38–6 at home in their round 1 Super League XV
fixture on 5 February, following three pre-season friendlies.
campaign ended at the penultimate stage after they lost to Warrington Wolves
in the semi-final at Widnes
' Stobart Stadium Halton
. The club finished sixth in the Super League XIV
table, meaning they qualified for the season's play-offs, but in failing to defeat St Helens RLFC in their final play-off match, the club's 2009 season ended. Immediately after the match, head coach Brian Noble
confirmed that he would be leaving the club via mutual consent with the chairman, Ian Lenagan
, at the end of the season for the same post at Crusaders after John Dixon
's contract was not extended. The club also confirmed this shortly afterwards, and in a press conference a week later, the incumbent head coach Michael Maguire
was unveiled. Although a former assistant coach at Melbourne Storm
in the National Rugby League
(NRL) competition, the post at Wigan was Maguire's first experience as head coach.
As with all Super League
licensees, the club continued to operate under the league's salary cap which remained unchanged from 2009's GBP£
1.65 million limit. As an ever-present club in the Super League format, this season was Wigan Warriors' fifteenth year in the competition, and its second year under the licensing system after the club received a 'B' graded licence. It was the eleventh year of rugby league
at the DW Stadium, which the club shares with Wigan Athletic F.C.
, since its opening in 1999.
and France
, as well as a warm-up test match
against Wales
at Bridgend
's Brewery Field
. Two Wigan Warriors players—captain Sean O'Loughlin
and debutant Sam Tomkins
—were initially called up for the England
squad. Sam Tomkins scored three times and assisted in a further two tries as England defeated Wales. O'Loughlin was forced to withdraw because of a fractured bone in his thumb. Sam Tomkins did not play during England's Four Nations opener against France
the week after, but received a starting place against Australia and New Zealand
. Thomas Leuluai
played hooker for New Zealand, but his Four Nations ended when defeat to England in the final weekend of round robin fixtures meant that England qualified for the final instead of his New Zealand team. Sam Tomkins featured in the final, where England capitulated in the final twenty minutes to finish the tournaments as runners-up. In addition to the Four Nations, the 2009 European Cup also took place across Europe
, with Pat Richards
playing for an Ireland
team which failed to make the event's final. Harrison Hansen
continued his Samoa
career by playing in the 2009 Pacific Cup
qualifying stage. The eventual winners, Papua New Guinea
, were coached by Adrian Lam
, a former Wigan player.
Wigan had already lost one player before the end of the 2009 season, when Mark Flanagan
signed for NRL
side Wests Tigers
. In late October, George Carmont
extended his contract by a year with an additional clause for a possible second year. Two days after the Four Nations final, the club started their transfers with the signing of Wigan-born Paul Deacon
, who had spent the last twelve years at Bradford Bulls
and led them as captain. Deacon signed as a player for the 2010 season, but also joined as an assistant coach in order to mentor Sam Tomkins, with the intention of becoming a full-time coach in 2011. A rumour linking James Graham
to Wigan amongst other clubs ended after Graham stated he expected to remain at local rivals, St Helens RLFC for the coming season. Phil Bailey
extended his contract at the club by another year, ending at the close of the 2010 season. Aside from academy products, Deacon was the only player acquired by the club during the off-season, and squad numbers were given on 8 December 2009.
Elsewhere, former Great Britain
and Wigan player Kris Radlinski
was promoted from his role in Wigan Warriors Youth Development
to the new post of rugby general manager at the club, in an assistance role to Maguire. The deadline given to Leganan from the Rugby Football League
(RFL) by which he was forced to sell a certain amount of his shares in fellow Super League
club, Harlequins Rugby League, was extended owing to the harsh economic climate
during the later third of the Noughties. In early Ferbruary, Wigan announced that Thomas Leuluai, Andy Coley
, George Carmont and Phil Bailey would join former captain Sean O'Loughlin in the newly formed leadership team.
On 18 November, the RFL published a full list of fixtures for the 2010 season, and the club learned that its opening Super League fixture would be against Brian Noble
's new club, Crusaders RL. The draw for the Magic Weekend
fixtures was also made later in the same day, with Huddersfield Giants
becoming the resulting opponents. Catalans Dragons
requested that their home game against Wigan Warriors be moved to Montpellier
as part of their attempts to spread rugby league in the south of France, but Wigan declined this, claiming it was unfair on fans who had already spent money in anticipation of the game being held at Catalans' usual home ground in Perpignan
.
Michael Maguire
's first match as head coach was abandoned before kick-off. The pre-season friendly was due to be played on 27 December at St Helens RLFC's Knowsley Road
, but icy weather over the Christmas period forced safety concerns. Belle Vue
therefore became the venue of Maguire's first match as head coach, which itself ended in a come-from-behind 38–40 victory for Wigan against Wakefield Trinity Wildcats
. A youthful Wigan team containing only Shaun Ainscough
and Chris Tuson
with any top-flight experience was beaten by Leigh Centurions
, a match in which assistant coach Shaun Wane
took charge in place of Maguire. Deacon featured for his debut in Wigan's final pre-season friendly—a 12–20 victory for Wigan against Warrington Wolves
in Paul Wood
's testimonial match
.
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clubs, the regular season consists of 27 rounds
of fixtures against the other thirteen clubs, once home
and once away
, as well as their Magic Weekend
fixture. For Wigan Warriors, this was against Huddersfield Giants
. Finishing the regular season in the top eight places means entering the play-offs
for those teams concerned, potentially an additional four matches, including the Grand Final
itself. The club will also compete in the 2010 Challenge Cup
, entering in the fourth round.
brace gave Wigan their first win of the season in the opening round against Crusaders RL, who were lead by the Warriors' former head coach Brian Noble
. Roberts ran in another two tries as Wigan comfortably won their second match of the season against Hull Kingston Rovers
, although Cameron Phelps
sustained an ankle injury and was ruled out for up to four weeks. A regathered kick chipped into space by Sam Tomkins
set up a move which culminated in his brother Joel Tomkins
scoring the match-winning try, to register Wigan's first win against Warrington Wolves
at the Halliwell Jones Stadium
since it opened in 2004. Adverse weather conditions across the United Kingdom
meant Wigan could not travel to Neath
in order to play their friendly match against South Wales Scorpions
. Pat Richards
scored five tries and nine goals to break the club's record for most points by a player in a single match, breaking Andy Farrell's previous record of thirty-two points, as Wigan whitewashed
Catalans Dragons
58–0 to maintain their perfect start to the season.
At the start of February, two Wigan players—Shaun Ainscough
and Liam Farrell
—were loaned out to Widnes Vikings
on a dual-registration arrangement. Ben Davies
also moved to Widnes on a three-month loan. On 15 February, the club's president Peter Higginbottom died aged 66. Following criticism about the condition of the DW Stadium's pitch from Wigan Athletic
's manager Roberto Martinez
, the football club announced it would dig up and relay the surface after the rugby league match against Catalans Dragons, despite the Warriors' head coach Maguire stating he thought the pitch was "pretty good" and looked "alright" to him. Ainscough moved from his dual-registration with Widnes to a month-long loan with Castleford Tigers
.
brace helped to overturn a 0–20 deficit for the Bradford Bulls
, meaning Wigan suffered their first loss of the season and the last perfect record of Super League XV fell. Darrell Goulding
and Sam Tomkins
scored two tries each as Hull
struggled to cope with Wigan's front-row and consequently the Warriors moved two points clear at the top of the league table. Castleford were beaten at The Jungle
, as Roberts' good form continued with his first hat-trick for Wigan in two seasons, joining Richards as the league's leading try scorer with ten in seven games. An injury-stricken Leeds Rhinos
side were then beaten by Wigan, with Goulding scoring two tries against the defending Super League champions. Having already missed the games against Castleford and Leeds, Harrison Hansen
was confirmed as having been injured with a torn shoulder muscle, and was ruled out for up to three months.
Following their loss to Wigan, Castleford signed a month-long loan with Chris Tuson
, who made his second first-grade appearance for the Warriors against them. Ainscough's loan at Castleford was extended to last the rest of the season. Joel Tomkins was given a formal caution for using knees in a tackle on Danny Buderus
. Lee Mossop
quashed rumours that he may leave Wigan for a career in the NRL
by signing a five-year contract extension, due to expire at the end of the 2014 season.
derby at the Saints' Knowsley Road
. Wigan followed this up on Easter Monday
with a 54–14 win over Wakefield Trinity Wildcats
, although Roberts sustained a cruciate knee ligament injury and was expected to be out for approximately eight weeks. Richards scored two tries as Wigan comfortably completed a sixth successive win over Salford City Reds
. In Wigan's first Challenge Cup
fixture of the season, a Richie Barnett
hat-trick for the Sheffield Eagles
threatened to repeat the Warriors' infamous defeat to them in the 1998 Challenge Cup final, but Sam Tomkins scored a hat-trick of his own to ease Wigan into the fifth round. The seven-match winning streak came to an end, as Harlequins RL rallied from 24–6 down to beat Wigan 26–38.
Dual-registration deals were signed with Whitehaven RLFC
for Josh Veivers
and Stefan Marsh
. Ainscough was recalled from his season-long loan at Castleford as Wigan's injury list grew. The 2007 and 2009 NRL league titles that Maguire had earned as assistant coach with the Melbourne Storm
were stripped after it was discovered the club had cheated, using secret payments to break the league's salary cap. Tuson's loan at Castleford was extended on a week-by-week basis, while Ainscough was loaned back out again to Widnes. Davies' loan with Widnes was also extended to a dual-registration arrangement.
took place at the start of May, and Wigan's win against the Huddersfield Giants
took them two points clear again at the top of the table. Sam Tomkins and Karl Pryce
both scored hat-tricks as an injury-hit Widnes side—unable to use loanees Ainscough, Farrell and Davies—proved unable to match Wigan in their fifth round cup match at the Stobart Stadium
. Huddersfield lost to Wigan again in an ill-tempered match at the Galpharm Stadium
, despite two sin-binnings for the Warriors and a David Hodgson hat-trick for the Giants. Pryce claimed four tries and Martin Gleeson
scored twice as Wigan beat Crusaders 26–46. However, Wigan's cup campaign came to end in the quarterfinal stage on a rain-soaked Headingley pitch
, thanks to a last-minute Lee Smith try which handed victory to Leeds.
Sean O'Loughlin
received a formal caution for a high tackle on Luke Robinson
, despite the Huddersfield head coach Nathan Brown
believing the foul deserved a two-month ban. Gleeson was dropped by the club for their second match of the month against Huddersfield due to an unidentified breach of discipline.
against France
on 12 June, and all three played in a win over Wakefield in the league the next day, although O'Loughlin had be withdrawn after ten minutes with a strain to his quadriceps. A late comeback was not enough to overturn a 12–26 deficit against St Helens, as the Warriors lost their first league match since Harlequins in April. Sam Tomkins made his first appearance at fullback, where he was to stay for the rest of the season, as Wigan won against Harlequins thanks to a Richards brace.
Mick Hogan was appointed as the new chief executive at rugby union
side Sale Sharks
, moving from a similar role he had occupied at Wigan since 2008. Mark Riddell
announced his intentions to return back home to Australia at the end of the season to be with his ill mother.
of the Catalans Dragons were not enough for victory as Wigan replied with five tries of their own to keep a four point lead in the league table. O'Loughlin returned from injury to score a try as Wigan defeated Salford by fifty points, helped by a hat-trick from Goulding and a brace from Sam Tomkins. In the first Super League game broadcasted in 3D display
, Wigan lost to Warrington, a result which reduced their lead in the league table to two points with five games remaining. However, the team responded by whitewashing Hull at the KC Stadium
a week later, with Richards scoring his third hat-trick of the season, while Warrington's loss to Catalans in the same weekend restored Wigan's four point advantage. In July's final fixture, Wigan defeated Leeds in an ill-disciplined match, with Carl Ablett
and Ryan Bailey
both being put on report for the Rhinos.
Andy Coley
received a red-card
against Catalans and consequently picked up a two-match ban. The club signed eight of its academy players
on professional contracts. Following the salary cap breaches at Melbourne which stripped them of their 2007 and 2009 titles, Ryan Hoffman
was released to join Wigan on a twelve-month contract, and was followed by Brett Finch
and Jeff Lima
, with all three joining the squad for the 2011 season. Joel Tomkins was charged with a late tackle against Warrington but did not receive any match ban. Maguire returned home to Australia during July to be with his gravely ill father, meaning Shaun Wane
, the assistant coach, took control of the matches against Hull and Leeds.
for sure, losing 16–18. A win at Craven Park against Hull Kingston Rovers meant that Wigan could no longer be caught at the top of the league table at four points ahead with only one game left, and consequently, the Warriors won the League Leader's Shield for the first time in ten years, their first trophy since 2002. The final weekend of August was occupied with the Challenge Cup final, meaning Wigan had another week away from action.
Davies was named in the Welsh national squad
for their international fixtures during the autumn. The club featured in the Carnegie Floodlit Nines
competition for the first time, and beat Bradford 20–16 in the final to win the tournament. Riddell's departure from the club was confirmed, as well as the release of Phil Bailey
and Iafeta Paleaaesina
whose contracts were due to run out at the end of the 2010 season and were not renewed. Ainscough, who featured in the Flootlit Nines victory, was signed by Bradford for the 2011 season.
's previous record of twenty-eight. It placed him at third in the overall Super League records, behind Danny McGuire
's thirty-five tries and Lesley Vainikolo
's thirty-six, both achieved in 2004. With three goals as well, Richards also equalled the league record for most points in a season, matching Andy Farrell's 2001 record of 388. The win meant that Wigan ended the regular season with twenty-two wins and five losses, beating their nearest rivals in St Helens and Warrington to the top of the table by four points. By virtue of this, they would play fourth-placed Leeds in the first weekend of the playoffs.
A drop-goal from Kevin Sinfield
proved the difference as Wigan lost their first playoff match in controversial circumstances, as in the final minute of the game, McGuire took out Carmont and Scott Donald
took out Richards as Wigan were breaking down the left wing, foul play which injured McGuire's knee and ruled him out for the rest of the playoffs, and gave Wigan a penalty from forty metres out which would have won the game had Richards not missed it. The consequence of defeat to Leeds was a match against Hull Kingston Rovers, with the Warriors missing Deacon due to a groin injury received during the previous match. However, despite being behind twice during the match at 6–12 and 12–14, Wigan eventually overcame Hull Kingston Rovers 42–18 to place themselves into the semifinals of the playoffs. With St Helens choosing to play Huddersfield in other semifinal match, Wigan were left with an away trip to face Leeds again. With a 6–26 victory, it was Wigan this time who won, ending Leeds' three year run as Super League champions, with the result placing Wigan into the Grand Final where they would face St Helens.
Leuluai was announced in the New Zealand preliminary squad for the 2010 Four Nations
. Stuart Fielden
and Andy Coley
both signed new contracts to keep them at Wigan, for two years and one year respectively. Four Wigan players were announced in the Super League Dream Team
for 2010: Richards, O'Loughlin and both of the Tomkins brothers. Two days after Wigan had defeated Leeds for a place in the Grand Final, it was confirmed that Terry Newton
, the former Wigan player who had been banned in February for testing positive for human growth hormone
while playing for Wakefield, had been discovered dead at his home near Wigan.. The death was later given an open verdict rather than one of suicide by the coroner, due to doubts over Newton's mental state at the time of his death.
for the fifth consecutive time having lost the previous three finals to Leeds. Wigan's most previous final had been the defeat to Bradford in 2003, and O'Loughlin was the only survivor in 2010 from the team that played that day. Compared to St Helens' Grand Final record of four wins from seven, Wigan's record was poor, with their only Super League championship after the playoffs were introduced coming in 1998 against Leeds. With the league's statistically best defence in Wigan opposing the league's best attack in St Helens, and the top two teams from the regular season league table playing each other, the final was deemed by several commentators as a close match to call.
The match was preceded with a minute's silence to Newton. Wigan earned the early advantage with the former St Helens player, Gleeson, scoring the game's opening try after three minutes following an Iosia Soliola
knock-on. Deacon continued to put St Helens under pressure with threatening kicks to Richards, but it was Gleeson who scored his and Wigan's second try thanks to a move that started in the Warriors' half with Sam Tomkins and Deacon. Another Deacon kick was not properly controlled by St Helens, and Goulding touched down an easy try in the sixteenth minute. Richards scored his second goal with the conversion attempt, but did not last the first half as he suffered an injury to his Achilles tendon which ended his participation in the final. After coming close to a try through Matty Smith
, St Helens eventually replied through Andrew Dixon
to reduce the margin to ten points at half-time.
Richards' injury cost Wigan points, as Riddell, the stand-in kicker, missed two relatively easy penalty attempts. However, Sam Tomkins scored the first try of the second half on the right wing, with Riddell managing to successfully kick the conversion. Liam Farrell
also had a try disallowed for obstruction, before St Helens scored their second try of the match through Francis Meli
. It was the final try of the game though, as Wigan managed to run down the clock without conceding again to win their first Grand Final in twelve years. The 22–10 victory meant Wigan were crowned Super League XV champions.
In addition to O'Loughlin and the Tomkins brothers who played against France earlier in the season, Fielden and Goulding were both selected to join the England squad in the post-season 2010 Four Nations tournament. It confirmed the day after the Grand Final that the injury Richards had sustained meant that he would be out of action for at least five to six months, which included the post-season international matches as well as the start of the next season, although Richards stated, "If I'd known that would happen and we'd still end up winning, I'd have taken it."
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|-
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Super League
Challenge Cup
Wigan Warriors
Wigan Warriors is an English rugby league club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester. The club's first team squad competes in the engage Super League and the team are the current Challenge Cup holders as of the 27th August 2011....
's fifteenth season in the Super League
Super League
Super League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
, since its launch in 1996. Wigan Warriors entered the season following their sixth-placed league finish and subsequent play-off knock-out in the 2009 Super League season
Super League XIV
The 2009 Super League season is the fourteenth season of rugby league since the Super League format was introduced in 1996...
, as well as their semifinal knock-out in the 2009 Challenge Cup
2009 Challenge Cup
The 2009 Carnegie Challenge Cup began in January 2009. The Challenge Cup is the most prestigious knock-out competition in European rugby league. Teams from England, Scotland, Wales, France and Russia are included in the tournament....
. The 2010 season is the eleventh year in which rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
has been played at the town
Wigan
Wigan is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It stands on the River Douglas, south-west of Bolton, north of Warrington and west-northwest of Manchester. Wigan is the largest settlement in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan and is its administrative centre. The town of Wigan had a total...
's DW Stadium.
Michael Maguire
Michael Maguire (rugby league)
Michael Maguire is an Australian professional rugby league football coach and former player. He is the head coach of the South Sydney Rabbitohs in Australia's National Rugby League . After serving as assistant coach of the Melbourne Storm under Craig Bellamy, in 2009 he became the head coach of...
started in his position as the new head coach of the club during this season, following Brian Noble
Brian Noble (rugby league)
Brian 'Nobby' D. Noble is an English former rugby league footballer. Noble is also the former coach of the Great Britain National Rugby League team. He was also the captain of the 1984 Great Britain touring team to Australia...
's departure. It is also the first season for Paul Deacon
Paul Deacon
Paul Deacon is a retired rugby league footballer. He previously played for Bradford Bulls from 1998 until joining his hometown club Wigan Warriors in 2010...
, who signed for the club in November 2009. It was the first season in which the captaincy of the team was allocated through a newly formed leadership team of five players (later expanded to six players).
The season covers the period between 1 November 2009 and 31 October 2010. The season started officially for the club when they defeated Crusaders RL 38–6 at home in their round 1 Super League XV
Super League XV
The 2010 Super League season was the fifteenth season of rugby league football since the Super League format was introduced in 1996. Fourteen teams competed for the League Leader's Shield over 27 rounds . All clubs also participated in the 2010 Challenge Cup tournament...
fixture on 5 February, following three pre-season friendlies.
Background
Wigan Warriors' 2009 Challenge Cup2009 Challenge Cup
The 2009 Carnegie Challenge Cup began in January 2009. The Challenge Cup is the most prestigious knock-out competition in European rugby league. Teams from England, Scotland, Wales, France and Russia are included in the tournament....
campaign ended at the penultimate stage after they lost to Warrington Wolves
Warrington Wolves
Warrington Wolves are a professional rugby league football club based in Warrington, England that competes in Super League. They play at the Halliwell Jones Stadium, having moved there from Wilderspool in 2003....
in the semi-final at Widnes
Widnes
Widnes is an industrial town within the borough of Halton, in Cheshire, England, with an urban area population of 57,663 in 2004. It is located on the northern bank of the River Mersey where the estuary narrows to form the Runcorn Gap. Directly to the south across the Mersey is the town of Runcorn...
' Stobart Stadium Halton
Halton Stadium
The Stobart Stadium Halton is a rugby league stadium in Widnes, England. The Widnes Vikings play their home games there as do Everton Reserves...
. The club finished sixth in the Super League XIV
Super League XIV
The 2009 Super League season is the fourteenth season of rugby league since the Super League format was introduced in 1996...
table, meaning they qualified for the season's play-offs, but in failing to defeat St Helens RLFC in their final play-off match, the club's 2009 season ended. Immediately after the match, head coach Brian Noble
Brian Noble (rugby league)
Brian 'Nobby' D. Noble is an English former rugby league footballer. Noble is also the former coach of the Great Britain National Rugby League team. He was also the captain of the 1984 Great Britain touring team to Australia...
confirmed that he would be leaving the club via mutual consent with the chairman, Ian Lenagan
Ian Lenagan
Ian Lenagan is a Business entrepreneur, theatre producer and shareholder of Harlequins RL & Oxford United FC as well as chairman and owner of Wigan Warriors-Early life:...
, at the end of the season for the same post at Crusaders after John Dixon
John Dixon (rugby league)
John Dixon is an Australian former rugby league football coach and player. He played during the 1970s and coached the Welsh Crusaders club of Super League and was also head coach of Wales RL until mid 2009...
's contract was not extended. The club also confirmed this shortly afterwards, and in a press conference a week later, the incumbent head coach Michael Maguire
Michael Maguire (rugby league)
Michael Maguire is an Australian professional rugby league football coach and former player. He is the head coach of the South Sydney Rabbitohs in Australia's National Rugby League . After serving as assistant coach of the Melbourne Storm under Craig Bellamy, in 2009 he became the head coach of...
was unveiled. Although a former assistant coach at Melbourne Storm
Melbourne Storm
The Melbourne Storm are an Australian professional rugby league club based in the city of Melbourne. They are the first fully professional rugby league team based in the Australian rules football-dominated state of Victoria....
in the National Rugby League
National Rugby League
The National Rugby League is the top league of professional rugby league football clubs in Australasia. The NRL's main competition, called the Telstra Premiership , is contested by sixteen teams, fifteen of which are based in Australia with one based in New Zealand...
(NRL) competition, the post at Wigan was Maguire's first experience as head coach.
As with all Super League
Super League
Super League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
licensees, the club continued to operate under the league's salary cap which remained unchanged from 2009's GBP£
Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
1.65 million limit. As an ever-present club in the Super League format, this season was Wigan Warriors' fifteenth year in the competition, and its second year under the licensing system after the club received a 'B' graded licence. It was the eleventh year of rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
at the DW Stadium, which the club shares with Wigan Athletic F.C.
Wigan Athletic F.C.
Wigan Athletic Football Club is an English Premier League Association football club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester, having been promoted from the Championship in 2005. Wigan's current spell in the Premier League is the only top flight run in the club's history.They have played at the DW...
, since its opening in 1999.
Pre-season
The international rugby league season took place between the 2009 and 2010 seasons, with the Four Nations being held in EnglandEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, as well as a warm-up test match
Test match (rugby league)
A Test match in rugby league football is a representative match between teams representing members of the Rugby League International Federation.The definition of a Test match differs from that of an international match...
against Wales
Wales national rugby league team
The Wales national rugby league team represent Wales in international rugby league football matches. Currently the team is seventh in the RLIF World Rankings. The team were run under the auspices of the Rugby Football League, but an independent body, Wales Rugby League, now runs the team from...
at Bridgend
Bridgend
Bridgend is a town in the Bridgend County Borough in Wales, west of the capital, Cardiff. The river crossed by the original bridge, which gave the town its name, is the River Ogmore but the River Ewenny also passes to the south of the town...
's Brewery Field
Brewery Field
Brewery Field is a 8,000 capacity sports stadium in Bridgend, Wales 1,100 of which is seated capacity...
. Two Wigan Warriors players—captain Sean O'Loughlin
Sean O'Loughlin
Sean O'Loughlin is an English professional rugby league footballer who captains the Wigan Warriors of Europe's Super League. A Great Britain and England international representative , and /, he has played his entire career to date with Wigan, with whom he won the 2010 Super League XV...
and debutant Sam Tomkins
Sam Tomkins
A pre-season unofficial friendly match provided Tomkins his first experience against top-flight opposition as he came off the bench during Lee Briers' testimonial match in a 30–22 loss to Warrington Wolves. Noble followed this up by providing Tomkins, aged 19, with his first team debut on 12 May...
—were initially called up for the England
England national rugby league team
The England national rugby league team represent England in international rugby league football tournaments. The team has now seen a revival, having largely formed from the Great Britain team, who also represented Wales, Scotland and Ireland. The team is run under the auspices of the Rugby Football...
squad. Sam Tomkins scored three times and assisted in a further two tries as England defeated Wales. O'Loughlin was forced to withdraw because of a fractured bone in his thumb. Sam Tomkins did not play during England's Four Nations opener against France
France national rugby league team
The France national rugby league team represent France in international rugby league tournaments. They are also sometimes referred to as "Les Tricolores" or more commonly "Les Chanticleers"...
the week after, but received a starting place against Australia and New Zealand
New Zealand national rugby league team
The New Zealand national rugby league team has represented New Zealand in rugby league football since intercontinental competition began for the sport in 1907. Administered by the New Zealand Rugby League, they are commonly known as the Kiwis, after the native bird of that name...
. Thomas Leuluai
Thomas Leuluai
Thomas Leuluai is a New Zealand professional rugby league footballer who currently plays for the Wigan Warriors in the Super League. His position is at half-back...
played hooker for New Zealand, but his Four Nations ended when defeat to England in the final weekend of round robin fixtures meant that England qualified for the final instead of his New Zealand team. Sam Tomkins featured in the final, where England capitulated in the final twenty minutes to finish the tournaments as runners-up. In addition to the Four Nations, the 2009 European Cup also took place across Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, with Pat Richards
Pat Richards
Pat Richards is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Wigan Warriors of Europe's Super League. An Ireland and Exiles international representative winger, he previously played in the National Rugby League for Sydney clubs the Parramatta Eels and Wests Tigers, winning the 2005...
playing for an Ireland
Ireland national rugby league team
The Ireland national rugby league team, known as the Wolfhounds, represent the island of Ireland in rugby league football. The team is organized by Rugby League Ireland and are accredited as an affiliate member of the Rugby League International Federation...
team which failed to make the event's final. Harrison Hansen
Harrison Hansen
Harrison Hansen is a rugby league player. He plays for Wigan as a second row forward.-Early life:Kiwi forward Harrison is the son of ex Salford and Swinton professional Shane Hansen and is a product of the Folly Lane ARLFC who play at the Blue Ribbon Field, Pendlebury...
continued his Samoa
Samoa national rugby league team
-Notable Players & Coaches:* John Ackland * Steve Kaiser Coach 1990 - 1994* Steve Kaiser 1986* Afi Ah Koui 1986* Andrew Ah Koui 1986* George Apelu 1986* Fa'ausu Afoa circa-1995* Wing Afoa 1990 - 1994* Isaak Ah Mau circa-2006...
career by playing in the 2009 Pacific Cup
2009 Pacific Cup
-Semifinals:-Third place Playoff:-Final:-Telecast Details:The Pacific Cup will be shown in the UK, Australia, and throughout the Pacific.*In Australia all matches will be broadcast by NRL.com while the Nine Network will show a one hour highlight package each weekend.*In Britain matches will be...
qualifying stage. The eventual winners, Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea national rugby league team
The Papua New Guinea national rugby league team represents Papua New Guinea internationally in the sport of rugby league football.In Papua New Guinea, Rugby league is highly popular and is regarded as the country’s national sport. The national side are known as the Kumuls...
, were coached by Adrian Lam
Adrian Lam
Adrian Lam is an Australian rugby league football coach and former international player. He is the head coach of the under 20 St George Dragons squad National Rugby League team he signed with them in 2010 and will combine with coaching legend Wayne Bennett.He is a former Papua New Guinea rugby...
, a former Wigan player.
Wigan had already lost one player before the end of the 2009 season, when Mark Flanagan
Mark Flanagan (rugby league)
Mark Flanagan Mark Flanagan Mark Flanagan (born December 4, 1987 in Oldham, Greater Manchester, is an English rugby league player for St Helens RLFC in the European Super League. He normally plays at Loose-Forward. He previously played for the Wigan Warriors in the European Super League...
signed for NRL
National Rugby League
The National Rugby League is the top league of professional rugby league football clubs in Australasia. The NRL's main competition, called the Telstra Premiership , is contested by sixteen teams, fifteen of which are based in Australia with one based in New Zealand...
side Wests Tigers
Wests Tigers
The Wests Tigers are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Sydney's mid-western suburbs. They have competed in the National Rugby League since they were formed at the end of the 1999 season as a joint-venture club between the Balmain Tigers and the Western Suburbs...
. In late October, George Carmont
George Carmont
George Carmont is a professional rugby league footballer for the Wigan Warriors of the Super League competition...
extended his contract by a year with an additional clause for a possible second year. Two days after the Four Nations final, the club started their transfers with the signing of Wigan-born Paul Deacon
Paul Deacon
Paul Deacon is a retired rugby league footballer. He previously played for Bradford Bulls from 1998 until joining his hometown club Wigan Warriors in 2010...
, who had spent the last twelve years at Bradford Bulls
Bradford Bulls
Bradford Bulls is a professional rugby league club based in the city of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. They play in the European Super League and are currently joint 10th in the league....
and led them as captain. Deacon signed as a player for the 2010 season, but also joined as an assistant coach in order to mentor Sam Tomkins, with the intention of becoming a full-time coach in 2011. A rumour linking James Graham
James Graham (rugby league)
James Graham is a rugby league player for St. Helens of Super League. A Great Britain and England international representative front row forward, he has played his entire professional career to date at St...
to Wigan amongst other clubs ended after Graham stated he expected to remain at local rivals, St Helens RLFC for the coming season. Phil Bailey
Phil Bailey
Phil Bailey is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Wigan Warriors of the European Super League competition. Bailey is a former player for New South Wales and Australia. He previously played for the Cronulla Sharks, Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles and the Northern Eagles...
extended his contract at the club by another year, ending at the close of the 2010 season. Aside from academy products, Deacon was the only player acquired by the club during the off-season, and squad numbers were given on 8 December 2009.
Elsewhere, former Great Britain
Great Britain national rugby league team
The Great Britain national rugby league team represents the United Kingdom in rugby league football. Administered by the Rugby Football League , the team is nicknamed "The Lions" or "Great Britain Lions"....
and Wigan player Kris Radlinski
Kris Radlinski
Kris Radlinski MBE is a former English rugby league and who played for his hometown club Wigan Warriors throughout his career and also represented Great Britain. He is of Polish descent.-Playing career:...
was promoted from his role in Wigan Warriors Youth Development
Wigan Warriors Youth Development
Wigan Warriors Youth Development is the youth system of the Rugby League Football club Wigan Warriors. It is one of the most famous and successful youth system for rugby league and has produced some of the best players in both rugby league and rugby union. The Wigan Warriors Youth Development...
to the new post of rugby general manager at the club, in an assistance role to Maguire. The deadline given to Leganan from the Rugby Football League
Rugby Football League
The Rugby Football League is the governing body for professional rugby league football in England. Based at Red Hall in Leeds, it administers the England national rugby league team, the Challenge Cup, Super League and the Rugby League Championships...
(RFL) by which he was forced to sell a certain amount of his shares in fellow Super League
Super League
Super League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
club, Harlequins Rugby League, was extended owing to the harsh economic climate
Late 2000s recession in Europe
While the recession of the late 2000s began in the United States, the crisis spread to Europe rapidly and has affected much of the region with several countries already in recession as of February 2009, and most others suffering marked economic setbacks...
during the later third of the Noughties. In early Ferbruary, Wigan announced that Thomas Leuluai, Andy Coley
Andy Coley
Andy Coley is a rugby league player who plays for Wigan Warriors. He previously played at Salford City Reds before transferring after six years at the club...
, George Carmont and Phil Bailey would join former captain Sean O'Loughlin in the newly formed leadership team.
On 18 November, the RFL published a full list of fixtures for the 2010 season, and the club learned that its opening Super League fixture would be against Brian Noble
Brian Noble (rugby league)
Brian 'Nobby' D. Noble is an English former rugby league footballer. Noble is also the former coach of the Great Britain National Rugby League team. He was also the captain of the 1984 Great Britain touring team to Australia...
's new club, Crusaders RL. The draw for the Magic Weekend
Magic Weekend
The Magic Weekend, previously Millennium Magic, is a concept by the Rugby Football League to stage an entire round of Super League matches in prestigious and exciting cities to showcase the sport....
fixtures was also made later in the same day, with Huddersfield Giants
Huddersfield Giants
Huddersfield Giants are a professional rugby league club from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire who play in the European Super League competition. They play their home games at the Galpharm Stadium which is shared with Huddersfield Town F.C....
becoming the resulting opponents. Catalans Dragons
Catalans Dragons
The Catalans Dragons are a French professional rugby league club based in Perpignan, Pyrénées-Orientales. They currently play in the Super League, and are the only team in the competition from outside of the United Kingdom...
requested that their home game against Wigan Warriors be moved to Montpellier
Montpellier
-Neighbourhoods:Since 2001, Montpellier has been divided into seven official neighbourhoods, themselves divided into sub-neighbourhoods. Each of them possesses a neighbourhood council....
as part of their attempts to spread rugby league in the south of France, but Wigan declined this, claiming it was unfair on fans who had already spent money in anticipation of the game being held at Catalans' usual home ground in Perpignan
Perpignan
-Sport:Perpignan is a rugby stronghold: their rugby union side, USA Perpignan, is a regular competitor in the Heineken Cup and seven times champion of the Top 14 , while their rugby league side plays in the engage Super League under the name Catalans Dragons.-Culture:Since 2004, every year in the...
.
Michael Maguire
Michael Maguire (rugby league)
Michael Maguire is an Australian professional rugby league football coach and former player. He is the head coach of the South Sydney Rabbitohs in Australia's National Rugby League . After serving as assistant coach of the Melbourne Storm under Craig Bellamy, in 2009 he became the head coach of...
's first match as head coach was abandoned before kick-off. The pre-season friendly was due to be played on 27 December at St Helens RLFC's Knowsley Road
Knowsley Road
Knowsley Road was a stadium located in Eccleston, St Helens, Merseyside. It was the home of St Helens RLFC from 1890 until its closure in 2010. St Helens Town FC played their home fixtures at Knowsley Road from 2002 until 2010. For a period, the venue also hosted Liverpool FC Reserves...
, but icy weather over the Christmas period forced safety concerns. Belle Vue
Belle Vue (Wakefield)
Belle Vue is a rugby league stadium in Wakefield, England. It is the home stadium of Wakefield Trinity Wildcats. It is located beside the A638 Doncaster Road, approximately one mile south of Wakefield City Centre.- Description :Currently, the East stand has a covered stand with seating, with some...
therefore became the venue of Maguire's first match as head coach, which itself ended in a come-from-behind 38–40 victory for Wigan against Wakefield Trinity Wildcats
Wakefield Trinity Wildcats
Wakefield Trinity Wildcats are a professional rugby league club that plays in the European Super League and is based in Wakefield. They achieved promotion in 1999 and have remained in the League since. They are known to their fans as Wakey, Trinity, Wildcats, or historically The Dreadnoughts...
. A youthful Wigan team containing only Shaun Ainscough
Shaun Ainscough
Shaun Ainscough is an English professional rugby league footballer, currently playing for the Bradford Bulls of the Super League.His preferred position is on the wing...
and Chris Tuson
Chris Tuson
Chris Tuson is an English rugby league player for the Wigan Warriors in the European Super League. He plays in the second-row...
with any top-flight experience was beaten by Leigh Centurions
Leigh Centurions
Leigh Centurions is an English professional rugby league club based in Leigh, Greater Manchester who play in the Co-operative Championship.The club was founded in 1878 as Leigh Rugby Football Club and is one of the original twenty-two clubs that formed the Northern Rugby Football Union in...
, a match in which assistant coach Shaun Wane
Shaun Wane
Shaun D. Wane is a former professional rugby league footballer of the 1980s and '90s, and current coach at Wigan Warriors. He played at representative level for Great Britain, and at club level for Wigan St Patricks, Wigan, Leeds, and Workington Town, playing at , /, i.e...
took charge in place of Maguire. Deacon featured for his debut in Wigan's final pre-season friendly—a 12–20 victory for Wigan against Warrington Wolves
Warrington Wolves
Warrington Wolves are a professional rugby league football club based in Warrington, England that competes in Super League. They play at the Halliwell Jones Stadium, having moved there from Wilderspool in 2003....
in Paul Wood
Paul Wood
Paul Wood is an English professional rugby league footballer for the Warrington Wolves of Super League.Wood played for Warrington in the 2010 Challenge Cup Final victory over the Leeds Rhinos....
's testimonial match
Testimonial match
A testimonial match or testimonial game, often referred to simply as a testimonial, is a practice in some sports, notably football and especially in the United Kingdom, where a club puts on a match in honour of a player for service to the club....
.
|-
| style="background:#ddffdd;" width=20 |
| width=100 | Win
|-
| style="background:#ffffdd" width=20 |
| width=100 | Draw
|-
| style="background:#ffdddd;" width=20 |
| width=100 | Loss
|->
| Opponent | Score | H/A | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| St Helens RLFC | A–A | Away | 27 December 2009 |
| Wakefield Trinity Wildcats Wakefield Trinity Wildcats Wakefield Trinity Wildcats are a professional rugby league club that plays in the European Super League and is based in Wakefield. They achieved promotion in 1999 and have remained in the League since. They are known to their fans as Wakey, Trinity, Wildcats, or historically The Dreadnoughts... |
38–40 | Away | 17 January 2010 |
| Leigh Centurions Leigh Centurions Leigh Centurions is an English professional rugby league club based in Leigh, Greater Manchester who play in the Co-operative Championship.The club was founded in 1878 as Leigh Rugby Football Club and is one of the original twenty-two clubs that formed the Northern Rugby Football Union in... |
16–14 | Away | 24 January 2010 |
| Warrington Wolves Warrington Wolves Warrington Wolves are a professional rugby league football club based in Warrington, England that competes in Super League. They play at the Halliwell Jones Stadium, having moved there from Wilderspool in 2003.... |
12–20 | Away | 27 January 2010 |
Season review
As with all Super League XVSuper League XV
The 2010 Super League season was the fifteenth season of rugby league football since the Super League format was introduced in 1996. Fourteen teams competed for the League Leader's Shield over 27 rounds . All clubs also participated in the 2010 Challenge Cup tournament...
clubs, the regular season consists of 27 rounds
Round-robin tournament
A round-robin tournament is a competition "in which each contestant meets all other contestants in turn".-Terminology:...
of fixtures against the other thirteen clubs, once home
Home (sports)
In sports, home is a term referring to both the city and stadium, arena, or field where an athletic team plays games at their venue, whilst when the team plays elsewhere then they are considered the away team. The home term can refer to either the sponsoring institution or the place where it is...
and once away
Road (sports)
Road game , more commonly known as an away game, is a reference to all cities and stadia/arenas/fields/venues where an athletic team plays games for which it is not the host. Most professional teams represent cities or towns and amateur sports teams often represent academic institutions...
, as well as their Magic Weekend
Magic Weekend
The Magic Weekend, previously Millennium Magic, is a concept by the Rugby Football League to stage an entire round of Super League matches in prestigious and exciting cities to showcase the sport....
fixture. For Wigan Warriors, this was against Huddersfield Giants
Huddersfield Giants
Huddersfield Giants are a professional rugby league club from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire who play in the European Super League competition. They play their home games at the Galpharm Stadium which is shared with Huddersfield Town F.C....
. Finishing the regular season in the top eight places means entering the play-offs
Super League play-offs
Since 1998 a play-off system has been used to determine the Super League champions. The format has changed over the years, starting with a play-off involving first five, then six teams and currently eight. The play-offs culminate in the Super League Grand Final....
for those teams concerned, potentially an additional four matches, including the Grand Final
Super League Grand Final
The Super League Grand Final is the championship-deciding game of the Super League rugby league football competition...
itself. The club will also compete in the 2010 Challenge Cup
2010 Challenge Cup
The 2010 Challenge Cup is a rugby league football tournament which began its preliminary stages on 2 January 2010...
, entering in the fourth round.
February
An Amos RobertsAmos Roberts
Amos Roberts is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for English club Wigan Warriors of Super League. A country New South Wales representative prolific try-scoring back, he previously played in Australasia's National Rugby League for the St...
brace gave Wigan their first win of the season in the opening round against Crusaders RL, who were lead by the Warriors' former head coach Brian Noble
Brian Noble (rugby league)
Brian 'Nobby' D. Noble is an English former rugby league footballer. Noble is also the former coach of the Great Britain National Rugby League team. He was also the captain of the 1984 Great Britain touring team to Australia...
. Roberts ran in another two tries as Wigan comfortably won their second match of the season against Hull Kingston Rovers
Hull Kingston Rovers
Hull Kingston Rovers or Hull KR is an English professional rugby league football club based in Hull, England. The club formed in 1882 and currently competes in Super League, having won promotion from National League One in 2006...
, although Cameron Phelps
Cameron Phelps
Cameron Phelps is an Australian rugby league player for Hull in the European Super League competition...
sustained an ankle injury and was ruled out for up to four weeks. A regathered kick chipped into space by Sam Tomkins
Sam Tomkins
A pre-season unofficial friendly match provided Tomkins his first experience against top-flight opposition as he came off the bench during Lee Briers' testimonial match in a 30–22 loss to Warrington Wolves. Noble followed this up by providing Tomkins, aged 19, with his first team debut on 12 May...
set up a move which culminated in his brother Joel Tomkins
Joel Tomkins
Joel Tomkins is an English professional rugby league footballer for the Wigan Warriors in the European Super League. An England international representative second-row forward, he has played his whole career to date at Wigan, winning the 2010 Super League Grand Final and 2011 Challenge Cup with...
scoring the match-winning try, to register Wigan's first win against Warrington Wolves
Warrington Wolves
Warrington Wolves are a professional rugby league football club based in Warrington, England that competes in Super League. They play at the Halliwell Jones Stadium, having moved there from Wilderspool in 2003....
at the Halliwell Jones Stadium
Halliwell Jones Stadium
Halliwell Jones Stadium is a rugby league stadium in Warrington, England that is the home ground of Warrington Wolves. It has also staged Challenge Cup semi-finals, the European Nations Final and the National League Grand Finals' Day....
since it opened in 2004. Adverse weather conditions across the United Kingdom
Winter of 2009–2010 in the United Kingdom
The winter of 2009–2010 in the United Kingdom was a meteorological event that started on 16 December 2009, as part of the severe winter weather in Europe. January 2010 was provisionally the coldest January since 1987 across the country...
meant Wigan could not travel to Neath
Neath
Neath is a town and community situated in the principal area of Neath Port Talbot, Wales, UK with a population of approximately 45,898 in 2001...
in order to play their friendly match against South Wales Scorpions
South Wales Scorpions
South Wales Scorpions Rugby League Football Club is a professional rugby league club formed in 2009, based in Neath, Wales. They are owned by a consortium of South Wales businessmen, led by Phil Davies...
. Pat Richards
Pat Richards
Pat Richards is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Wigan Warriors of Europe's Super League. An Ireland and Exiles international representative winger, he previously played in the National Rugby League for Sydney clubs the Parramatta Eels and Wests Tigers, winning the 2005...
scored five tries and nine goals to break the club's record for most points by a player in a single match, breaking Andy Farrell's previous record of thirty-two points, as Wigan whitewashed
Whitewash (sport)
A whitewash is an informal term in sport describing a game or series in which the losing person or team fails to score.A whitewash may be in a single game where the loser fails to score any points or goals, or in a series where the loser fails to win a game...
Catalans Dragons
Catalans Dragons
The Catalans Dragons are a French professional rugby league club based in Perpignan, Pyrénées-Orientales. They currently play in the Super League, and are the only team in the competition from outside of the United Kingdom...
58–0 to maintain their perfect start to the season.
At the start of February, two Wigan players—Shaun Ainscough
Shaun Ainscough
Shaun Ainscough is an English professional rugby league footballer, currently playing for the Bradford Bulls of the Super League.His preferred position is on the wing...
and Liam Farrell
Liam Farrell
Liam Farrell is an English rugby league player for the Wigan Warriors in the European Super League. He plays in the second-row or at loose forward. He is the cousin of former Warriors player Andy Farrell.-2010 season:...
—were loaned out to Widnes Vikings
Widnes Vikings
Widnes Vikings RLFC are an English professional rugby league club based in Widnes, Cheshire. They currently play in the Engage Super League, the top tier of European rugby league, after being awarded a license to compete in the top-flight Super League from 2012 onward...
on a dual-registration arrangement. Ben Davies
Ben Davies (rugby league)
Benjamin "Danger" Davies is a professional rugby league footballer who currently plays for the Wigan Warriors in the Super League. He is a prop by preference and signed for the club from local amateur team Leigh East...
also moved to Widnes on a three-month loan. On 15 February, the club's president Peter Higginbottom died aged 66. Following criticism about the condition of the DW Stadium's pitch from Wigan Athletic
Wigan Athletic F.C.
Wigan Athletic Football Club is an English Premier League Association football club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester, having been promoted from the Championship in 2005. Wigan's current spell in the Premier League is the only top flight run in the club's history.They have played at the DW...
's manager Roberto Martinez
Roberto Martinez
Roberto Martinez is the name of:* Roberto Martínez Lacayo, President of Nicaragua* Roberto Martínez y Gutiérrez, Mexican bishop consecrated by Moisés CarmonaSports* Roberto Martínez , Honduran boxer...
, the football club announced it would dig up and relay the surface after the rugby league match against Catalans Dragons, despite the Warriors' head coach Maguire stating he thought the pitch was "pretty good" and looked "alright" to him. Ainscough moved from his dual-registration with Widnes to a month-long loan with Castleford Tigers
Castleford Tigers
Castleford Tigers are a professional rugby league club based in Castleford in West Yorkshire, England. They participate in the professional European competition Super League. They are sometimes known as 'Cas', 'Cas Tigers', 'Classy Cas' or the 'Black & Amber'...
.
March
In the first match of March, a Matt OrfordMatt Orford
Matthew Orford is an Australian professional rugby league player, last playing for the Canberra Raiders in the National Rugby League competition...
brace helped to overturn a 0–20 deficit for the Bradford Bulls
Bradford Bulls
Bradford Bulls is a professional rugby league club based in the city of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. They play in the European Super League and are currently joint 10th in the league....
, meaning Wigan suffered their first loss of the season and the last perfect record of Super League XV fell. Darrell Goulding
Darrell Goulding
Darrell Goulding is an English professional rugby league footballer for the Wigan Warriors of Super League. He plays as either a centre or on the wing and has spent his whole professional career to date at Wigan, with whom he won the 2010 Super League Championship.-Early life:Goulding is a former...
and Sam Tomkins
Sam Tomkins
A pre-season unofficial friendly match provided Tomkins his first experience against top-flight opposition as he came off the bench during Lee Briers' testimonial match in a 30–22 loss to Warrington Wolves. Noble followed this up by providing Tomkins, aged 19, with his first team debut on 12 May...
scored two tries each as Hull
Hull FC
Hull Football Club, commonly referred to as Hull or Hull FC, is a professional rugby league football club established in 1865 and based in Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, England. The club plays in the Super League competition...
struggled to cope with Wigan's front-row and consequently the Warriors moved two points clear at the top of the league table. Castleford were beaten at The Jungle
The Jungle (Wheldon Road)
The Jungle is the former name of Wheldon Road, a stadium in Castleford, West Yorkshire, England. This is the home of the Castleford Tigers rugby league team....
, as Roberts' good form continued with his first hat-trick for Wigan in two seasons, joining Richards as the league's leading try scorer with ten in seven games. An injury-stricken Leeds Rhinos
Leeds Rhinos
Leeds Rhinos is an English professional rugby league football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. The club won the 2011 Super League and became the most successful club in the Super League era, beating St Helens 32-16 on 8th October 2011. Formed in 1890, Leeds competes in Europe's Super League...
side were then beaten by Wigan, with Goulding scoring two tries against the defending Super League champions. Having already missed the games against Castleford and Leeds, Harrison Hansen
Harrison Hansen
Harrison Hansen is a rugby league player. He plays for Wigan as a second row forward.-Early life:Kiwi forward Harrison is the son of ex Salford and Swinton professional Shane Hansen and is a product of the Folly Lane ARLFC who play at the Blue Ribbon Field, Pendlebury...
was confirmed as having been injured with a torn shoulder muscle, and was ruled out for up to three months.
Following their loss to Wigan, Castleford signed a month-long loan with Chris Tuson
Chris Tuson
Chris Tuson is an English rugby league player for the Wigan Warriors in the European Super League. He plays in the second-row...
, who made his second first-grade appearance for the Warriors against them. Ainscough's loan at Castleford was extended to last the rest of the season. Joel Tomkins was given a formal caution for using knees in a tackle on Danny Buderus
Danny Buderus
Danny Buderus is an Australian professional rugby league player who currently plays for the Newcastle Knights in the NRL...
. Lee Mossop
Lee Mossop
Lee Mossop born 17 January 1989 in Whitehaven in England is a rugby league player for the Wigan Warriors in the European Super League.Lee Mossop's position of choice is Prop....
quashed rumours that he may leave Wigan for a career in the NRL
National Rugby League
The National Rugby League is the top league of professional rugby league football clubs in Australasia. The NRL's main competition, called the Telstra Premiership , is contested by sixteen teams, fifteen of which are based in Australia with one based in New Zealand...
by signing a five-year contract extension, due to expire at the end of the 2014 season.
April
St Helens RLFC fought back in an attempt to overturn a 0–14 deficit at half-time, but Wigan held on with two second half penalties from Richards to win the final Good FridayGood Friday
Good Friday , is a religious holiday observed primarily by Christians commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his death at Calvary. The holiday is observed during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum on the Friday preceding Easter Sunday, and may coincide with the Jewish observance of...
derby at the Saints' Knowsley Road
Knowsley Road
Knowsley Road was a stadium located in Eccleston, St Helens, Merseyside. It was the home of St Helens RLFC from 1890 until its closure in 2010. St Helens Town FC played their home fixtures at Knowsley Road from 2002 until 2010. For a period, the venue also hosted Liverpool FC Reserves...
. Wigan followed this up on Easter Monday
Easter Monday
Easter Monday is the day after Easter Sunday and is celebrated as a holiday in some largely Christian cultures, especially Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox cultures...
with a 54–14 win over Wakefield Trinity Wildcats
Wakefield Trinity Wildcats
Wakefield Trinity Wildcats are a professional rugby league club that plays in the European Super League and is based in Wakefield. They achieved promotion in 1999 and have remained in the League since. They are known to their fans as Wakey, Trinity, Wildcats, or historically The Dreadnoughts...
, although Roberts sustained a cruciate knee ligament injury and was expected to be out for approximately eight weeks. Richards scored two tries as Wigan comfortably completed a sixth successive win over Salford City Reds
Salford City Reds
Salford City Reds are an English rugby league club based in Salford, Greater Manchester. Formed in 1873, they currently play in the Super League. They have won six Rugby Football League Championships and one Challenge Cup...
. In Wigan's first Challenge Cup
Challenge Cup
The Challenge Cup is a knockout cup competition for rugby league clubs organised by the Rugby Football League. Originally it was contested only by British teams but in recent years has been expanded to allow teams from France and Russia to take part....
fixture of the season, a Richie Barnett
Richie Barnett
Richie Barnett is a former professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and2000s who represented the New Zealand Kiwis twelve times.-Playing career:...
hat-trick for the Sheffield Eagles
Sheffield Eagles
Sheffield Eagles RLFC are an English rugby league club based in the South Yorkshire city of Sheffield. They currently play in the Co-operative Championship. Their home games are played at Bramall Lane after leaving Don Valley Stadium in late 2009....
threatened to repeat the Warriors' infamous defeat to them in the 1998 Challenge Cup final, but Sam Tomkins scored a hat-trick of his own to ease Wigan into the fifth round. The seven-match winning streak came to an end, as Harlequins RL rallied from 24–6 down to beat Wigan 26–38.
Dual-registration deals were signed with Whitehaven RLFC
Whitehaven RLFC
Whitehaven RLFC is a rugby league club playing in Whitehaven in West Cumbria. They play in Co-operative Championship. Their stadium is called the Recreation Ground...
for Josh Veivers
Josh Veivers
Joshua Veivers is a professional rugby league player, currently contracted to Wakefield Trinity Wildcats in Super League. The son of former St Helens player and Wigan Warriors assistant coach Phil Veivers, Josh joined the Wildcats from Wigan, where he made no first team appearances, only playing in...
and Stefan Marsh
Stefan Marsh
Stefan Marsh is a professional rugby league player who currently plays for Wigan Warriors in Super League. Marsh primarily plays centre and he made his first-grade début at the 2010 Magic Weekend at Murrayfield Stadium in a 28-10 win over Huddersfield Giants....
. Ainscough was recalled from his season-long loan at Castleford as Wigan's injury list grew. The 2007 and 2009 NRL league titles that Maguire had earned as assistant coach with the Melbourne Storm
Melbourne Storm
The Melbourne Storm are an Australian professional rugby league club based in the city of Melbourne. They are the first fully professional rugby league team based in the Australian rules football-dominated state of Victoria....
were stripped after it was discovered the club had cheated, using secret payments to break the league's salary cap. Tuson's loan at Castleford was extended on a week-by-week basis, while Ainscough was loaned back out again to Widnes. Davies' loan with Widnes was also extended to a dual-registration arrangement.
May
The Magic WeekendMagic Weekend
The Magic Weekend, previously Millennium Magic, is a concept by the Rugby Football League to stage an entire round of Super League matches in prestigious and exciting cities to showcase the sport....
took place at the start of May, and Wigan's win against the Huddersfield Giants
Huddersfield Giants
Huddersfield Giants are a professional rugby league club from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire who play in the European Super League competition. They play their home games at the Galpharm Stadium which is shared with Huddersfield Town F.C....
took them two points clear again at the top of the table. Sam Tomkins and Karl Pryce
Karl Pryce
Karl Pryce is an English rugby league player who currently plays for Wigan in the Super League competition. His position of choice is on the wing. Pryce previously played rugby league with the Bradford Bulls until 2006...
both scored hat-tricks as an injury-hit Widnes side—unable to use loanees Ainscough, Farrell and Davies—proved unable to match Wigan in their fifth round cup match at the Stobart Stadium
Halton Stadium
The Stobart Stadium Halton is a rugby league stadium in Widnes, England. The Widnes Vikings play their home games there as do Everton Reserves...
. Huddersfield lost to Wigan again in an ill-tempered match at the Galpharm Stadium
Galpharm Stadium
The Galpharm Stadium, formerly the Alfred McAlpine Stadium, is a multi-use sports in Huddersfield in West Yorkshire, England. Since 1994, it has been the home ground of Huddersfield Town and Super League side, Huddersfield Giants.-The Stadium:...
, despite two sin-binnings for the Warriors and a David Hodgson hat-trick for the Giants. Pryce claimed four tries and Martin Gleeson
Martin Gleeson
Martin Gleeson is an English professional rugby league footballer, who plays for Hull in the Super League. A Great Britain and England international representative , and /, he previously played for Wigan Warriors, Huddersfield Giants, St. Helens and Warrington...
scored twice as Wigan beat Crusaders 26–46. However, Wigan's cup campaign came to end in the quarterfinal stage on a rain-soaked Headingley pitch
Headingley Stadium
Headingley Stadium is a sporting complex in the Leeds suburb of Headingley in West Yorkshire, England. It is the home of Yorkshire County Cricket Club, rugby league team Leeds Rhinos and rugby union team Leeds Carnegie ....
, thanks to a last-minute Lee Smith try which handed victory to Leeds.
Sean O'Loughlin
Sean O'Loughlin
Sean O'Loughlin is an English professional rugby league footballer who captains the Wigan Warriors of Europe's Super League. A Great Britain and England international representative , and /, he has played his entire career to date with Wigan, with whom he won the 2010 Super League XV...
received a formal caution for a high tackle on Luke Robinson
Luke Robinson
Luke Robinson is an English professional rugby league footballer for the Huddersfield Giants of Super League...
, despite the Huddersfield head coach Nathan Brown
Nathan Brown
Nathan Brown may refer to:* Nathan Brown , American religious leader* Nathan J. Brown , political scientist & academic...
believing the foul deserved a two-month ban. Gleeson was dropped by the club for their second match of the month against Huddersfield due to an unidentified breach of discipline.
June
On returning to league action following their cup knock-out to Leeds, a Goulding hat-trick helped Wigan make their lead at the top of table more secure with a win over Castleford. Both of the Tomkins brothers as well as O'Loughlin were called up to play for EnglandEngland national rugby league team
The England national rugby league team represent England in international rugby league football tournaments. The team has now seen a revival, having largely formed from the Great Britain team, who also represented Wales, Scotland and Ireland. The team is run under the auspices of the Rugby Football...
against France
France national rugby league team
The France national rugby league team represent France in international rugby league tournaments. They are also sometimes referred to as "Les Tricolores" or more commonly "Les Chanticleers"...
on 12 June, and all three played in a win over Wakefield in the league the next day, although O'Loughlin had be withdrawn after ten minutes with a strain to his quadriceps. A late comeback was not enough to overturn a 12–26 deficit against St Helens, as the Warriors lost their first league match since Harlequins in April. Sam Tomkins made his first appearance at fullback, where he was to stay for the rest of the season, as Wigan won against Harlequins thanks to a Richards brace.
Mick Hogan was appointed as the new chief executive at rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
side Sale Sharks
Sale Sharks
Sale Sharks are a professional rugby union club who play in England in the Aviva Premiership.The club is an offshoot of Sale FC, which is based at Heywood Road in Sale, Greater Manchester, but Sharks currently play in Stockport at Edgeley Park, ground sharing with Stockport County F.C.Part of the...
, moving from a similar role he had occupied at Wigan since 2008. Mark Riddell
Mark Riddell
Mark Robert Riddell is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 2000s and 2010s...
announced his intentions to return back home to Australia at the end of the season to be with his ill mother.
July
Two tries from Clint GreenshieldsClint Greenshields
Clint Greenshields is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Catalans Dragons of Super League, having previously played for the St George Illawarra Dragons of the National Rugby League...
of the Catalans Dragons were not enough for victory as Wigan replied with five tries of their own to keep a four point lead in the league table. O'Loughlin returned from injury to score a try as Wigan defeated Salford by fifty points, helped by a hat-trick from Goulding and a brace from Sam Tomkins. In the first Super League game broadcasted in 3D display
3D television
A 3D television is a television set that employs techniques of 3D presentation, such as stereoscopic capture, multi-view capture, or 2D-plus-depth, and a 3D display – a special viewing device to project a television program into a realistic three-dimensional field.- History :In the late-1890's,...
, Wigan lost to Warrington, a result which reduced their lead in the league table to two points with five games remaining. However, the team responded by whitewashing Hull at the KC Stadium
KC Stadium
The KC Stadium, often shortened to the KC, is a multi-purpose facility in the city of Kingston upon Hull , England. Conceived as early as the late 1990s, it was completed in 2002 at a cost of approximately £44 million. It is named after the stadium's sponsors, telecommunications provider KC,...
a week later, with Richards scoring his third hat-trick of the season, while Warrington's loss to Catalans in the same weekend restored Wigan's four point advantage. In July's final fixture, Wigan defeated Leeds in an ill-disciplined match, with Carl Ablett
Carl Ablett
Carl Ablett is an English professional rugby league footballer who plays for the Leeds Rhinos of Europe's Super League competition. Carl made numerous appearances in the second half of the 06/07 season after recovering from injury, he was part of the Grand Final 2007 winning squad selected by Tony...
and Ryan Bailey
Ryan Bailey
Ryan Bailey is an English professional rugby league footballer for Leeds Rhinos of Super League. A Great Britain and England international representative prop forward, he has played his entire career to date at Leeds, having won five Super League championships with the club.Bailey made his Super...
both being put on report for the Rhinos.
Andy Coley
Andy Coley
Andy Coley is a rugby league player who plays for Wigan Warriors. He previously played at Salford City Reds before transferring after six years at the club...
received a red-card
Ejection (sports)
In sports, an ejection is one of several disqualifying actions assessed to a player or coach by a game official , usually for unsportsmanlike conduct....
against Catalans and consequently picked up a two-match ban. The club signed eight of its academy players
Wigan Warriors Youth Development
Wigan Warriors Youth Development is the youth system of the Rugby League Football club Wigan Warriors. It is one of the most famous and successful youth system for rugby league and has produced some of the best players in both rugby league and rugby union. The Wigan Warriors Youth Development...
on professional contracts. Following the salary cap breaches at Melbourne which stripped them of their 2007 and 2009 titles, Ryan Hoffman
Ryan Hoffman
Ryan Hoffman is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Wigan Warriors of the Super League...
was released to join Wigan on a twelve-month contract, and was followed by Brett Finch
Brett Finch
Brett Finch is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Wigan Warriors of the Super League...
and Jeff Lima
Jeff Lima
Jeff Lima is a professional rugby league footballer for the Wigan Warriors of Europe's Super League...
, with all three joining the squad for the 2011 season. Joel Tomkins was charged with a late tackle against Warrington but did not receive any match ban. Maguire returned home to Australia during July to be with his gravely ill father, meaning Shaun Wane
Shaun Wane
Shaun D. Wane is a former professional rugby league footballer of the 1980s and '90s, and current coach at Wigan Warriors. He played at representative level for Great Britain, and at club level for Wigan St Patricks, Wigan, Leeds, and Workington Town, playing at , /, i.e...
, the assistant coach, took control of the matches against Hull and Leeds.
August
As the Challenge Cup semifinals were played over the first weekend of August, Wigan's first team had a week off, although Mossop was ruled out for the rest of the season after suffering a shoulder injury during an under-20s match. The team returned to action on 16 August with a home fixture against Huddersfield, and squandered a chance to secure the League Leader's ShieldLeague Leader's Shield
The League Leader’s Shield, often called The Hubcap is a trophy awarded to the team finishing the season top of Super League in the sport of rugby league football. Currently the championship is decided on the basis of a play-off series, and the Shield is thus regarded as a lesser prize...
for sure, losing 16–18. A win at Craven Park against Hull Kingston Rovers meant that Wigan could no longer be caught at the top of the league table at four points ahead with only one game left, and consequently, the Warriors won the League Leader's Shield for the first time in ten years, their first trophy since 2002. The final weekend of August was occupied with the Challenge Cup final, meaning Wigan had another week away from action.
Davies was named in the Welsh national squad
Wales national rugby league team
The Wales national rugby league team represent Wales in international rugby league football matches. Currently the team is seventh in the RLIF World Rankings. The team were run under the auspices of the Rugby Football League, but an independent body, Wales Rugby League, now runs the team from...
for their international fixtures during the autumn. The club featured in the Carnegie Floodlit Nines
Carnegie Floodlit Nines
Carnegie Floodlit Nines is a rugby league nines event held at Headingley Stadium in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. The same stadium hosted the Headingley Sevens, rugby league sevens tournament from 1965-78...
competition for the first time, and beat Bradford 20–16 in the final to win the tournament. Riddell's departure from the club was confirmed, as well as the release of Phil Bailey
Phil Bailey
Phil Bailey is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Wigan Warriors of the European Super League competition. Bailey is a former player for New South Wales and Australia. He previously played for the Cronulla Sharks, Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles and the Northern Eagles...
and Iafeta Paleaaesina
Iafeta Paleaaesina
Iafeta Iakopo Palea'aesina , is a rugby league footballer of Samoan heritage) currently playing for the Salford City Reds of Super League...
whose contracts were due to run out at the end of the 2010 season and were not renewed. Ainscough, who featured in the Flootlit Nines victory, was signed by Bradford for the 2011 season.
September
Wigan won their final match of the regular rounds against Bradford, but with the League Leader's shield already won, all eyes were on Richards as he attempted to break several records. With two tries, he broke the club record for most tries in a Super League season, bringing his tally to twenty-nine and breaking Kris RadlinskiKris Radlinski
Kris Radlinski MBE is a former English rugby league and who played for his hometown club Wigan Warriors throughout his career and also represented Great Britain. He is of Polish descent.-Playing career:...
's previous record of twenty-eight. It placed him at third in the overall Super League records, behind Danny McGuire
Danny McGuire
Danny McGuire is an English professional rugby league player who currently plays for the Leeds Rhinos in the Super League. His preferred position is at /. He has played his entire career to date with the Rhinos, having come through the club's Academy....
's thirty-five tries and Lesley Vainikolo
Lesley Vainikolo
Lesley Vainikolo is a dual code professional rugby football player who currently plays for Gloucester Rugby. He plays on the wing....
's thirty-six, both achieved in 2004. With three goals as well, Richards also equalled the league record for most points in a season, matching Andy Farrell's 2001 record of 388. The win meant that Wigan ended the regular season with twenty-two wins and five losses, beating their nearest rivals in St Helens and Warrington to the top of the table by four points. By virtue of this, they would play fourth-placed Leeds in the first weekend of the playoffs.
A drop-goal from Kevin Sinfield
Kevin Sinfield
Kevin Sinfield is an English professional rugby league player. He is the captain of the Leeds Rhinos in Super League. His recognised position is /, although he can cover both /, and . He has represented both England and Great Britain at international level.-Career:Sinfield began his career at...
proved the difference as Wigan lost their first playoff match in controversial circumstances, as in the final minute of the game, McGuire took out Carmont and Scott Donald
Scott Donald
Scott Albert Donald is a retired Australian professional rugby league footballer and played for the Leeds Rhinos of the European Super League competition...
took out Richards as Wigan were breaking down the left wing, foul play which injured McGuire's knee and ruled him out for the rest of the playoffs, and gave Wigan a penalty from forty metres out which would have won the game had Richards not missed it. The consequence of defeat to Leeds was a match against Hull Kingston Rovers, with the Warriors missing Deacon due to a groin injury received during the previous match. However, despite being behind twice during the match at 6–12 and 12–14, Wigan eventually overcame Hull Kingston Rovers 42–18 to place themselves into the semifinals of the playoffs. With St Helens choosing to play Huddersfield in other semifinal match, Wigan were left with an away trip to face Leeds again. With a 6–26 victory, it was Wigan this time who won, ending Leeds' three year run as Super League champions, with the result placing Wigan into the Grand Final where they would face St Helens.
Leuluai was announced in the New Zealand preliminary squad for the 2010 Four Nations
2010 Rugby League Four Nations
The 2010 Rugby League Four Nations tournament was played in Australia and New Zealand in October and November 2010. The tournament was the second time the Four Nations had been held, following on from the 2009 edition held in England and France....
. Stuart Fielden
Stuart Fielden
Stuart Fielden is an English professional rugby league footballer for Wigan of Super League...
and Andy Coley
Andy Coley
Andy Coley is a rugby league player who plays for Wigan Warriors. He previously played at Salford City Reds before transferring after six years at the club...
both signed new contracts to keep them at Wigan, for two years and one year respectively. Four Wigan players were announced in the Super League Dream Team
Super League Dream Team
The Super League Dream Team is an award given each season to the players deemed to have been the best in their position in the Super League by a panel of journalists and broadcasters....
for 2010: Richards, O'Loughlin and both of the Tomkins brothers. Two days after Wigan had defeated Leeds for a place in the Grand Final, it was confirmed that Terry Newton
Terry Newton
Terry Newton was an English international rugby league player. He played for Leeds Rhinos, Wigan Warriors, Bradford Bulls and Wakefield Trinity Wildcats, and was one of a handful of players to feature in each of the first 15 seasons of Super League...
, the former Wigan player who had been banned in February for testing positive for human growth hormone
Growth hormone
Growth hormone is a peptide hormone that stimulates growth, cell reproduction and regeneration in humans and other animals. Growth hormone is a 191-amino acid, single-chain polypeptide that is synthesized, stored, and secreted by the somatotroph cells within the lateral wings of the anterior...
while playing for Wakefield, had been discovered dead at his home near Wigan.. The death was later given an open verdict rather than one of suicide by the coroner, due to doubts over Newton's mental state at the time of his death.
October
2010 was Wigan's fourth appearance in a Grand Final, three less than their opponents and local derby rivals St Helens, who held the record for most finals and were playing at Old TraffordOld Trafford
Old Trafford commonly refers to two sporting arenas:* Old Trafford, home of Manchester United F.C.* Old Trafford Cricket Ground, home of Lancashire County Cricket ClubOld Trafford can also refer to:...
for the fifth consecutive time having lost the previous three finals to Leeds. Wigan's most previous final had been the defeat to Bradford in 2003, and O'Loughlin was the only survivor in 2010 from the team that played that day. Compared to St Helens' Grand Final record of four wins from seven, Wigan's record was poor, with their only Super League championship after the playoffs were introduced coming in 1998 against Leeds. With the league's statistically best defence in Wigan opposing the league's best attack in St Helens, and the top two teams from the regular season league table playing each other, the final was deemed by several commentators as a close match to call.
The match was preceded with a minute's silence to Newton. Wigan earned the early advantage with the former St Helens player, Gleeson, scoring the game's opening try after three minutes following an Iosia Soliola
Iosia Soliola
Iosia Soliola is a New Zealand international rugby league player currently playing for the St. Helens in the Super League. He is of Samoan descent.-Playing career:...
knock-on. Deacon continued to put St Helens under pressure with threatening kicks to Richards, but it was Gleeson who scored his and Wigan's second try thanks to a move that started in the Warriors' half with Sam Tomkins and Deacon. Another Deacon kick was not properly controlled by St Helens, and Goulding touched down an easy try in the sixteenth minute. Richards scored his second goal with the conversion attempt, but did not last the first half as he suffered an injury to his Achilles tendon which ended his participation in the final. After coming close to a try through Matty Smith
Matty Smith
Matty Smith is an English rugby league footballer who plays for Salford City Reds in the engage Super League, having spent the 2010 season on loan there from his parent club St...
, St Helens eventually replied through Andrew Dixon
Andrew Dixon
Andrew "Andy" Dixon is a fictional character on the CBS soap opera As the World Turns. The character has been commonly known by the nickname "Andy". He was born on-screen in 1976; his birth year was revised to 1970 when he was aged to 15 in 1985, at which time he was played by Scott DeFreitas...
to reduce the margin to ten points at half-time.
Richards' injury cost Wigan points, as Riddell, the stand-in kicker, missed two relatively easy penalty attempts. However, Sam Tomkins scored the first try of the second half on the right wing, with Riddell managing to successfully kick the conversion. Liam Farrell
Liam Farrell
Liam Farrell is an English rugby league player for the Wigan Warriors in the European Super League. He plays in the second-row or at loose forward. He is the cousin of former Warriors player Andy Farrell.-2010 season:...
also had a try disallowed for obstruction, before St Helens scored their second try of the match through Francis Meli
Francis Meli
Francis Meli is a professional rugby league player who currently plays for St. Helens in the Super League competition. Meli has represented both New Zealand and Samoa in internationals. His usual position is on the wing....
. It was the final try of the game though, as Wigan managed to run down the clock without conceding again to win their first Grand Final in twelve years. The 22–10 victory meant Wigan were crowned Super League XV champions.
In addition to O'Loughlin and the Tomkins brothers who played against France earlier in the season, Fielden and Goulding were both selected to join the England squad in the post-season 2010 Four Nations tournament. It confirmed the day after the Grand Final that the injury Richards had sustained meant that he would be out of action for at least five to six months, which included the post-season international matches as well as the start of the next season, although Richards stated, "If I'd known that would happen and we'd still end up winning, I'd have taken it."
Fixtures
|-
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| width=100 | Win
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| width=100 | Draw
|-
| style="background:#ffdddd;" width=20 |
| width=100 | Loss
|->
Super LeagueSuper League XVThe 2010 Super League season was the fifteenth season of rugby league football since the Super League format was introduced in 1996. Fourteen teams competed for the League Leader's Shield over 27 rounds . All clubs also participated in the 2010 Challenge Cup tournament...
| Round | Opponent | Score | Attendance | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Crusaders RL | 38–6 | Home | 13,680 | 5 February 2010 |
| 2 | Hull Kingston Rovers Hull Kingston Rovers Hull Kingston Rovers or Hull KR is an English professional rugby league football club based in Hull, England. The club formed in 1882 and currently competes in Super League, having won promotion from National League One in 2006... |
32–6 | Home | 12,429 | 12 February 2010 |
| 3 | Warrington Wolves Warrington Wolves Warrington Wolves are a professional rugby league football club based in Warrington, England that competes in Super League. They play at the Halliwell Jones Stadium, having moved there from Wilderspool in 2003.... |
20–22 | Away Halliwell Jones Stadium Halliwell Jones Stadium is a rugby league stadium in Warrington, England that is the home ground of Warrington Wolves. It has also staged Challenge Cup semi-finals, the European Nations Final and the National League Grand Finals' Day.... |
13,024 | 20 February 2010 |
| 4 | Catalans Dragons Catalans Dragons The Catalans Dragons are a French professional rugby league club based in Perpignan, Pyrénées-Orientales. They currently play in the Super League, and are the only team in the competition from outside of the United Kingdom... |
58–0 | Home | 12,001 | 26 February 2010 |
| 5 | Bradford Bulls Bradford Bulls Bradford Bulls is a professional rugby league club based in the city of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. They play in the European Super League and are currently joint 10th in the league.... |
22–20 | Away Odsal Stadium Odsal Stadium is a stadium situated in Odsal, Bradford in West Yorkshire, England. The venue is used for rugby league and has been the home ground of Bradford Bulls/Bradford Northern since 1934... |
9,244 | 5 March 2010 |
| 6 | Hull | 48–24 | Home | 15,045 | 12 March 2010 |
| 7 | Castleford Tigers Castleford Tigers Castleford Tigers are a professional rugby league club based in Castleford in West Yorkshire, England. They participate in the professional European competition Super League. They are sometimes known as 'Cas', 'Cas Tigers', 'Classy Cas' or the 'Black & Amber'... |
22-36 | Away The Jungle (Wheldon Road) The Jungle is the former name of Wheldon Road, a stadium in Castleford, West Yorkshire, England. This is the home of the Castleford Tigers rugby league team.... |
8,493 | 21 March 2010 |
| 8 | Leeds Rhinos Leeds Rhinos Leeds Rhinos is an English professional rugby league football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. The club won the 2011 Super League and became the most successful club in the Super League era, beating St Helens 32-16 on 8th October 2011. Formed in 1890, Leeds competes in Europe's Super League... |
24-4 | Home | 17,883 | 26 March 2010 |
| 9 | St Helens RLFC | 10–18 | Away Knowsley Road Knowsley Road was a stadium located in Eccleston, St Helens, Merseyside. It was the home of St Helens RLFC from 1890 until its closure in 2010. St Helens Town FC played their home fixtures at Knowsley Road from 2002 until 2010. For a period, the venue also hosted Liverpool FC Reserves... |
17,500 | 2 April 2010 |
| 10 | Wakefield Trinity Wildcats Wakefield Trinity Wildcats Wakefield Trinity Wildcats are a professional rugby league club that plays in the European Super League and is based in Wakefield. They achieved promotion in 1999 and have remained in the League since. They are known to their fans as Wakey, Trinity, Wildcats, or historically The Dreadnoughts... |
54–14 | Home | 14,615 | 5 April 2010 |
| 11 | Salford City Reds Salford City Reds Salford City Reds are an English rugby league club based in Salford, Greater Manchester. Formed in 1873, they currently play in the Super League. They have won six Rugby Football League Championships and one Challenge Cup... |
4–18 | Away | 6,618 | 11 April 2010 |
| 12 | Harlequins RL | 26–48 | Home | 18,605 | 23 April 2010 |
| 13 | Huddersfield Giants Huddersfield Giants Huddersfield Giants are a professional rugby league club from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire who play in the European Super League competition. They play their home games at the Galpharm Stadium which is shared with Huddersfield Town F.C.... |
28–10 | Neutral Murrayfield Stadium Murrayfield Stadium is a sports stadium located in the west end of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. Its all-seater capacity was recently reduced from 67,800 to 67,130 to incorporate the largest permanent "big screen" in the country though it still remains the largest stadium in Scotland and one... |
25,401 | 2 May 2010 |
| 14 | Huddersfield Giants | 30–38 | Away Galpharm Stadium The Galpharm Stadium, formerly the Alfred McAlpine Stadium, is a multi-use sports in Huddersfield in West Yorkshire, England. Since 1994, it has been the home ground of Huddersfield Town and Super League side, Huddersfield Giants.-The Stadium:... |
8,390 | 16 May 2010 |
| 15 | Crusaders RL | 26–46 | Away Racecourse Ground The Glyndŵr University Racecourse Stadium AKA The Racecourse Ground is a stadium located in Wrexham, North Wales. It is the home of Wrexham F.C. and, since 2010, the Crusaders Rugby League team who play in the engage Super League... |
6,075 | 22 May 2010 |
| 16 | Castleford Tigers | 38–22 | Home | 14,047 | 6 June 2010 |
| 17 | Wakefield Trinity Wildcats | 6–48 | Away Belle Vue (Wakefield) Belle Vue is a rugby league stadium in Wakefield, England. It is the home stadium of Wakefield Trinity Wildcats. It is located beside the A638 Doncaster Road, approximately one mile south of Wakefield City Centre.- Description :Currently, the East stand has a covered stand with seating, with some... |
6,937 | 13 June 2010 |
| 18 | St Helens RLFC | 24–26 | Home | 20,498 | 20 June 2010 |
| 19 | Harlequins RL | 12–36 | Away | 5,084 | 26 June 2010 |
| 20 | Catalans Dragons | 16–34 | Away Stade Gilbert Brutus Stade Gilbert Brutus is a rugby league stadium located in Perpignan, in the south of France. Even though the stadium currently has around 9,000 seats installed, it can accommodate around 1,000 fans more due to standing room... |
7,612 | 4 July 2010 |
| 21 | Salford City Reds | 60–10 | Home | 12,221 | 9 July 2010 |
| 22 | Warrington Wolves | 16–23 | Home | 22,701 | 16 July 2010 |
| 23 | Hull | 0–46 | Away KC Stadium The KC Stadium, often shortened to the KC, is a multi-purpose facility in the city of Kingston upon Hull , England. Conceived as early as the late 1990s, it was completed in 2002 at a cost of approximately £44 million. It is named after the stadium's sponsors, telecommunications provider KC,... |
12,694 | 23 July 2010 |
| 24 | Leeds Rhinos | 12–26 | Away | 16,622 | 30 July 2010 |
| 25 | Huddersfield Giants | 16–18 | Home | 13,619 | 15 August 2010 |
| 26 | Hull Kingston Rovers | 18–38 | Away | 9,250 | 22 August 2010 |
| 27 | Bradford Bulls | 34–12 | Home | 17,058 | 3 September 2010 |
| Leeds Rhinos | 26–27 | Home | 9,987 | 12 September 2010 | |
| Hull Kingston Rovers | 42–18 | Away | 11,133 | 17 September 2010 | |
| Leeds Rhinos | 6–26 | Away | 13,693 | 25 September 2010 | |
| Final | St Helens RLFC | 10–22 | Neutral Old Trafford Old Trafford commonly refers to two sporting arenas:* Old Trafford, home of Manchester United F.C.* Old Trafford Cricket Ground, home of Lancashire County Cricket ClubOld Trafford can also refer to:... |
71,526 | 2 October 2010 |
Challenge Cup2010 Challenge CupThe 2010 Challenge Cup is a rugby league football tournament which began its preliminary stages on 2 January 2010...
| Round | Opponent | Score | Attendance | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Sheffield Eagles Sheffield Eagles Sheffield Eagles RLFC are an English rugby league club based in the South Yorkshire city of Sheffield. They currently play in the Co-operative Championship. Their home games are played at Bramall Lane after leaving Don Valley Stadium in late 2009.... [C] |
34–50 | Away Bramall Lane -Cricket at the Lane:Bramall Lane opened as a cricket ground in 1855, having been leased by Michael Ellison from the Duke of Norfolk at an annual rent of £70. The site was then away from the town's industrial area, and relatively free from smoke. It was built to host the matches of local cricket... |
2,950 | 17 April 2010 |
| 5 | Widnes Vikings Widnes Vikings Widnes Vikings RLFC are an English professional rugby league club based in Widnes, Cheshire. They currently play in the Engage Super League, the top tier of European rugby league, after being awarded a license to compete in the top-flight Super League from 2012 onward... [C] |
10–62 | Away | 5,504 | 8 May 2010 |
| Leeds Rhinos [SL Super League Super League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from... ] |
10–12 | Away | 9,242 | 29 May 2010 |
Transfers in
| Pos | Name | From | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SH | Paul Deacon Paul Deacon Paul Deacon is a retired rugby league footballer. He previously played for Bradford Bulls from 1998 until joining his hometown club Wigan Warriors in 2010... |
Bradford Bulls Bradford Bulls Bradford Bulls is a professional rugby league club based in the city of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. They play in the European Super League and are currently joint 10th in the league.... |
16 November 2009 | Also joined as assistant coach. |
Transfers out
| Pos | Name | To | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LF | Mark Flanagan Mark Flanagan (rugby league) Mark Flanagan Mark Flanagan Mark Flanagan (born December 4, 1987 in Oldham, Greater Manchester, is an English rugby league player for St Helens RLFC in the European Super League. He normally plays at Loose-Forward. He previously played for the Wigan Warriors in the European Super League... |
Wests Tigers Wests Tigers The Wests Tigers are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Sydney's mid-western suburbs. They have competed in the National Rugby League since they were formed at the end of the 1999 season as a joint-venture club between the Balmain Tigers and the Western Suburbs... |
24 September 2009 |
Notable moments
- Sunday 17 January - Wigan play their first ever match under head coach Micheal Maguire in a friendly against Wakefield Trinity WildcatsWakefield Trinity WildcatsWakefield Trinity Wildcats are a professional rugby league club that plays in the European Super League and is based in Wakefield. They achieved promotion in 1999 and have remained in the League since. They are known to their fans as Wakey, Trinity, Wildcats, or historically The Dreadnoughts...
, Wigan winning 40-38. - Friday 5 February - Paul DeaconPaul DeaconPaul Deacon is a retired rugby league footballer. He previously played for Bradford Bulls from 1998 until joining his hometown club Wigan Warriors in 2010...
makes his Wigan début. - Friday 5 February - Wigan win their first match of Super League XVSuper League XVThe 2010 Super League season was the fifteenth season of rugby league football since the Super League format was introduced in 1996. Fourteen teams competed for the League Leader's Shield over 27 rounds . All clubs also participated in the 2010 Challenge Cup tournament...
beating Crusaders Rugby League 38-6. - Saturday 20 February - Wigan record their first ever competitive win at the Halliwell Jones StadiumHalliwell Jones StadiumHalliwell Jones Stadium is a rugby league stadium in Warrington, England that is the home ground of Warrington Wolves. It has also staged Challenge Cup semi-finals, the European Nations Final and the National League Grand Finals' Day....
with a 22-20 win over the Warrington WolvesWarrington WolvesWarrington Wolves are a professional rugby league football club based in Warrington, England that competes in Super League. They play at the Halliwell Jones Stadium, having moved there from Wilderspool in 2003....
. - Friday 26 February - Wigan defeat Catalans DragonsCatalans DragonsThe Catalans Dragons are a French professional rugby league club based in Perpignan, Pyrénées-Orientales. They currently play in the Super League, and are the only team in the competition from outside of the United Kingdom...
58-0 the first time Wigan have nil an opposition in Super League since 2007 when they defeated Catalans Dragons 30-0. - Friday 5 March - Wigan lose their first competitive match with Michael Maguire has coach when they lose to Bradford BullsBradford BullsBradford Bulls is a professional rugby league club based in the city of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. They play in the European Super League and are currently joint 10th in the league....
22-20. - Tuesday 9 March - Wigan coach Michael Maguire is awarded Coach of the Month for February 2010.
- Friday 2 April - Wigan beat local rivals St Helens 10-18 in the last Wigan verse St Helens derby to played at Knowsley RoadKnowsley RoadKnowsley Road was a stadium located in Eccleston, St Helens, Merseyside. It was the home of St Helens RLFC from 1890 until its closure in 2010. St Helens Town FC played their home fixtures at Knowsley Road from 2002 until 2010. For a period, the venue also hosted Liverpool FC Reserves...
. - Monday 5 April - Liam FarrellLiam FarrellLiam Farrell is an English rugby league player for the Wigan Warriors in the European Super League. He plays in the second-row or at loose forward. He is the cousin of former Warriors player Andy Farrell.-2010 season:...
makes his firs team début. - Saturday 17 April - Wigan defeat Sheffield Eagles by 50-34 to advance to the next round of the Challenge CupChallenge CupThe Challenge Cup is a knockout cup competition for rugby league clubs organised by the Rugby Football League. Originally it was contested only by British teams but in recent years has been expanded to allow teams from France and Russia to take part....
. - Sunday 2 May - Stefan MarshStefan MarshStefan Marsh is a professional rugby league player who currently plays for Wigan Warriors in Super League. Marsh primarily plays centre and he made his first-grade début at the 2010 Magic Weekend at Murrayfield Stadium in a 28-10 win over Huddersfield Giants....
makes his first team début. - Saturday 8 May - Wigan defeat Widnes Vikings 64-10 to advance to quarter finals of the Challenge Cup.
- Saturday 29 May - Wigan are knocked out of the Challenge Cup after losing 10-12 to Leeds RhinosLeeds RhinosLeeds Rhinos is an English professional rugby league football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. The club won the 2011 Super League and became the most successful club in the Super League era, beating St Helens 32-16 on 8th October 2011. Formed in 1890, Leeds competes in Europe's Super League...
. - Saturday 12 June - Wigan players Sean O'Loughlin, Sam Tomkins and débutanteDebutanteA débutante is a young lady from an aristocratic or upper class family who has reached the age of maturity, and as a new adult, is introduced to society at a formal "début" presentation. It should not be confused with a Debs...
Joel Tomkins play for England in a 66-12 win over France. - Monday 28 June - Wigan's first television advertisementTelevision advertisementA television advertisement or television commercial, often just commercial, advert, ad, or ad-film – is a span of television programming produced and paid for by an organization that conveys a message, typically one intended to market a product...
is aired on ITVITVITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
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