2011 Wigan Warriors season
Encyclopedia
The 2011 Wigan Warriors season is the club
's 16th season in the Super League
, since its launch in 1996.
Michael Maguire
carried on as head coach in what would be his last season, and Ian Lenagan
continued as the club's chairman and owner. Wigan reverted to using a solo captain in Sean O'Loughlin
, having used a "leadership team" during the previous season
. The club played at the town
's DW Stadium for its 12th consecutive full season.
Wigan entered the season as defending champions, having won the 2010 Super League Grand Final
against rivals St Helens RLFC, and were pre-season favourites to do "The Double
" in defending their championship and winning the Challenge Cup
. They also had an opportunity as Super League XV
winners to contest the 2011 World Club Challenge
at the DW Stadium on 27 February, but lost to St George Illawarra Dragons
. Their regular season opened against St Helens RLFC on 12 February with a 16–16 draw. Their Challenge Cup campaign started in the fourth round on 8 May with a 52–0 whitewash
over the Barrow Raiders
. This was then followed up by a 28-22 win over fellow Super League side Bradford Bulls
, noted for the late challenge by Bradford's Gareth Raynor
, on Sam Tomkins
that knocked the Wigan man out cold as he scored Wigan's second try and wins over Warrington Wolves
and St Helens RLFC to set up a Wembley Stadium
showdown with Leeds Rhinos
on 27 August 2011.
In the final itself, Wigan would run out 28-18 victors to record their 18th success in the competition and lift the trophy for the first time at the new Wembley Stadium.
continued on as chairman of the club which achieved a 'B' license under the Rugby Football League
's franchise system in 2008. Although Wigan's 2010 Challenge Cup
campaign ended in the quarter finals following a loss to the Leeds Rhinos
, the Super League campaign ended with a 22–10 victory over St Helens RLFC in the Grand Final
at Old Trafford
, having already won the League Leader's Shield
for finishing on top the Super League table at the close of the regular season. This was the club's second Super League title, their first since Super League III
in 1998. By virtue of becoming Super League premiers, the club was automatically entered into the 2011 World Club Challenge
to play the Australasian 2010 National Rugby League
premiers, the St. George Illawarra Dragons. Michael Maguire
entered his second year as head coach, despite speculation he would return to his native Australia, following his debut year in which he brought the club's first major honour since Stuart Raper
guided Wigan to success in the 2002 Challenge Cup final. Having used a "leadership team" consisting of Sean O'Loughlin
, George Carmont
, Thomas Leuluai
, Andy Coley
, Phil Bailey
and Joel Tomkins
, the team opted to have O'Loughlin as their sole captain.
The 2011 season was the club's sixteenth in Super League
as an ever-present side in the competition. It was also the twelfth full season playing at the DW Stadium, which the club had shared with football side Wigan Athletic F.C.
since 1999. The salary cap
that all Super League XVI teams had to abide by remained unchanged from the previous year at GBP£
1.65 million, although a slight change was made for the 2011 season to provide more space for a club's own-trained players.
and the National Rugby League
, the international season began with the 2010 Four Nations
, this year held in Australia and New Zealand. Thomas Leuluai
was the only British-based player to be named in the New Zealand Kiwis
squad for the tournament—Greg Eastwood
played for Leeds Rhinos
during 2010 and was also announced in the squad, but returned to Canterbury Bulldogs
at the end of the season. Sam Tomkins
, who was named Rookie of the Year at the Rugby League International Federation
awards, was named in the England
team along with Darrell Goulding
, Sean O'Loughlin
and Stuart Fielden
. Leuluai featured in a pre-Four Nations test match
against Samoa
, while Tomkins was influential in England's 18–18 warm-up match against New Zealand Māori
, helping to set up a Ryan Atkins
try and scoring one of his own. However, no Wigan player managed to score for England in the whole tournament as the national team only managed one win against the minnows, Papua New Guinea
. In contrast, Leuluai played in a Kiwis side which made the final, and stole victory from Australia with a Nathan Fien try in the 79th minute at the Suncorp Stadium
in Brisbane
.
At the start of the pre-season, Wigan immediately lost two players in Josh Veivers
and Stuart Howarth
from the club's academy
, both of whom signed for Wakefield Trinity Wildcats
. It was also confirmed that Cameron Phelps
would not be offered an extension to his contract, which expired at the end of the 2010 season. However, George Carmont
and Karl Pryce
were both given a one-year contract for the 2011 season. Michael Maguire
refuted speculation that Josh Charnley
was to join Harlequins RL on a season-long loan, while Chris Tuson
also agreed a contract extension which would keep him at Wigan until the end of the 2012 season with an additional year optional. Academy player Matthew Sarsfield signed a three-year contract with Huddersfield Giants
. Pryce and Joe Mellor
were confirmed in a one-year loan deal to Harlequins, while both Sam and Joel Tomkins
along with Charnley and Liam Farrell
were given five-year contract extensions, with Goudling and Harrison Hansen
being offered three-year extensions. This completed Wigan's transfer activity during the pre-season, in addition to the signings of Brett Finch
, Ryan Hoffman
and Jeff Lima
made mid-way through the 2010 season.
Three pre-season friendles were played as a warm-up to the 2011 campaign. Firstly Wigan faced Salford City Reds
at The Willows, where a team largely consistent with the 2010 Grand Final
winning side, plus the additions of new arrivals Hoffman and Lima, was ultimately too much for Salford to hold back, with the Reds' head coach Shaun McRae
describing Wigan as "the team to beat" for the 2011 season. A young Wigan side then defeated the Barrow Raiders
24–32 at Craven Park
in a testimonial match
. In a second testimonial, this time for Jon Clarke
, the Warriors won their final pre-season friendly against Warrington Wolves
.
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's regular season started with a 16–all draw against derby rivals St Helens RLFC in front of a 30,891 crowd at the Millennium Stadium
—a match in which three Wigan scores, including a debut try for Ryan Hoffman
, were cancelled out by three Saints tries late in the second half. Jeff Lima
, who also made his debut during the first round robin
game of the season, received a two match ban for alleged chicken wing tackles
, meaning he missed the World Club Challenge
later in the month. However, a 0–26 half-time lead proved too much for Bradford Bulls
as the Warriors won their next game comfortably, although Martin Gleeson
picked up a hamstring injury. For the World Club Challenge, which was the first match of the 2011 season played at Wigan's DW Stadium, Stuart Fielden
had to be withdrawn from the squad on match day due to injury. Gleeson was deemed fit enough to play and therefore started, but had to be withdrawn early against St George Illawarra Dragons
because of his hamstring injury, a game which Wigan lost thanks to a Jamie Soward
try despite the home side leading by one point at half-time.
In the week preceding the World Club Challenge, the Manchester Evening News
alleged that during the pre-season, Gleeson had been the target of blackmail
which had included death threats, and that on 13 December 2010 he had contacted the police about the matter. According to the newspaper, three men were arrested in relation to the claims, but Gleeson refused to assist the police further with their investigations and the case collapsed.
effort in the first half kept the visiting Wigan side to a six point lead at half-time, but three second half tries allowed the Warriors to pull away and put the World Club Challenge defeat behind them. The team maintained their unbeaten start to the league campaign with a late fightback against Hull FC
, despite Joel Tomkins
being sent off and a last minute penalty to Hull which would have tied the game had it been scored, but Danny Tickle
missed with his attempt. The Tomkins brothers, Joel and Sam
, both received match bans, two and one respectively, a decision which was upheld by the RFL
following an appeal on Joel's ban. Nevertheless, Wigan defeated Huddersfield Giants
with a comfortable 6–20 win despite also missing Paul Deacon
, Pat Richards
and Fielden in addition to the Tomkins. Pre-season signing Brett Finch
made a try-scoring debut for the club, and Sam Tomkins returned from suspension to take on Warrington Wolves
at the DW Stadium, but the last unbeaten start of Super League XVI fell as Wigan were easily beaten 6–24 by the visiting side.
Gleeson's omission from the squad that faced Salford, despite being injured in the previous match against St George Illawarra, fueled speculation about his future at the club, rumours which both Michael Maguire
and Ian Lenagan
remained silent on. The BBC also raised doubts on the future of Richards at the club, after they reported that rugby union
side Sale Sharks
were interested in signing the 2010 Super League Man of Steel. The BBC also reported that Wigan were hopeful on Gareth Hock
, who was banned by anti-doping
authorities in 2009 for cocaine
use, being allowed to train with the club two months prior to the ban's expiration date in June.
in round eight that seemed beyond Wigan's reach at 22–4 behind with Lima sin-binned ended in the Warriors' second draw of the season thanks to three tries late the second half, and an injury-time penalty kicked by Sam Tomkins. Lima was charged and banned for one game for the incident which had him sin-binned. Richards returned for his first appearance since being injured in the 2010 Grand Final
, but the club's winless streak stretched to three after being defeated by Catalans Dragons
at home. Darrell Goulding
was dropped for the team's next game against Hull Kingston Rovers
, however the team welcomed back Deacon, Lima and Liam Farrell
from injuries and suspensions. Willie Mason
scored his first Super League try, but Wigan defeated Hull Kingston Rovers 16–32 at Craven Park, and followed this with another win as a last minute Farrell try stole a victory for Wigan against St Helens in the traditional Good Friday
derby. Their second Easter weekend fixture was a whitewash
as an unchanged Warriors side beat the Wakefield Trinity Wildcats
for a third win in a row.
Following the Leeds game, Gleeson's time at his hometown club came to an end, with the club citing various reasons for the former Great Britain
international's departure. A day later, the Rugby Football League
cleared Hock to start training with the Warriors again. In the wake of the Catalans loss, speculation in Australia over head coach Maguire's future at the club intensified after Wayne Bennett chose to be the new head coach of Newcastle Knights
, leaving an open vacancy at South Sydney Rabbitohs
. After the match against Hull Kingston Rovers, Lenagan made an official statement on behalf of the club revealing that Maguire had accepted an offer from South Sydney Rabbitohs, and would be leaving Wigan at the end of the 2011 season, with assistant coach Shaun Wane
favourite to replace him.
in Wrexham
over Crusaders RL, a result which took them to the top of the league table, tied on points with Warrington and Huddersfield. The team's first Challenge Cup
fixture against Barrow Raiders
was their next match, and with Jack Hughes
making his first-team debut, the Warriors whitewashed their opponents to advance into a fifth round meeting against Bradford later in the month. Returning to Super League action, Thomas Leuluai
, Sam Tomkins and Richards all scored braces on the way to a 52–6 win over Harlequins RL. An ill-tempered fifth round Cup game at Bradford's Odsal Stadium
was exemplified with Gareth Raynor
's sending off in the first half for foul play as Sam Tomkins was scoring a try, however a Richards brace helped Wigan survive a late comeback to go through to the next round—a quarterfinal draw against Cup holders Warrington. Sam Tomkins and Richards both scored hat-tricks against Hull Kingston Rovers as Wigan completed a perfect May record in their final match of the month.
Richards, who scored nine tries and thirty-three goals during May, signed a two-year extension to his contract, rejecting a return to the NRL
and a potential cross-code transfer to rugby union club Sale Sharks. Hock, whose two year suspension for drug use was due to end on 23 June, signed a five-year contract with the club to the end of the 2015 season.
in Montpellier
, after Daryl Millard
's second try of the night handed Catalans Dragons a 20–12 victory. The seventeenth round fixture against Castleford Tigers
came just two days after the inaugural International Origin Match which featured George Carmont
, Leuluai and Richards playing for the Exiles, and Sean O'Loughlin
, Michael McIlorum
and both Tomkins brothers representing England
. Consequently, Origin match-winner Carmont and Sam Tomkins were both rested against Castleford, a match which Wigan looked to be comfortably winning with a 4–22 lead before a second half performance which Maguire described as "unacceptable" allowed the Tigers to come back, with Kirk Dixon
missing a late-minute conversion meaning the match ended in Wigan's third draw of the season. The Warriors returned to winning ways against St Helens in the final derby game of the regular season with a 10–32 win at the Saints' temporary Stobart Stadium
base, a result which took Wigan to the top of the Super League table before Huddersfield reclaimed the position the day after. Wigan then leapfrogged Huddersfield into second place in the table after defeating them in a comprehensive 46–12 win, with Sam Tomkins scoring another hat-trick and Hock making his first appearance for the club in two years following the completion of his drugs ban received in 2009.
In the week following the Catalans match, Leuluai rubbished rumours that he intended to follow Maguire to the South Sydney Rabbitohs at the end of the year. Wane, Wigan's assistant coach and a former player, was formally backed by Maguire to succeed him as head coach for the 2012 season following the latter's return to Australia.
would-be try with five minutes remaining looked to have snatched a victory for Leeds, before the video referee ruled McGuire had knocked-on in the process, allowing Wigan to close out a tough 26–24 home win. Charnley scored a brace to help Wigan reach the top of the table after winning their next match 26–16 against a Castleford side missing eleven first-team players through injury, with their head coach Terry Matterson
believing that "the welfare of the players was compromised" by playing the rearranged round 3 match mid-week in early July. Six separate players scored tries against Harlequins, including a Deacon brace, as Wigan made it three wins in nine days. Hock earned his first tries after returning from his ban with a hat-trick against Wakefield, and Sam Tomkins also scored two tries, as Wigan won their sixth match in a row, although Chris Tuson
was injured with a damaged medial ligament and was ruled out of action for six weeks.
Castleford responded to their loss against the Warriors and the injuries of Nick Fozzard
and Jacob Emmitt
during the match by signing Wigan's Ben Davies
on a one-month loan. On 12 July, Ben Cross was signed by the club with immediate effect until the end of the season, when it was intended that he would transfer to Widnes Vikings
for their return to Super League in 2012. On the same day, Carmont postponed his retirement from rugby league to carry on playing at Wigan, after signing a one-year contract for the 2012 season. However, Hoffman confirmed that when his twelve-month contract expired at the end of 2011, he would leave the club and return to the Melbourne Storm
, whom he left to join Wigan following their salary cap scandal in 2010.
(52-18) and Bradford Bulls
(60-12).
In the semi final, Wigan survived an early onslaught by St Helens who couldn't convert early opportunities. Both sides had kicks at goal in the opening 20 minutes with Jamie Foster converting his to make the score 2-0 to Saints after 30 minutes. On 33 minutes a break from Josh Charnley
down Wigan's right flank was stopped by Saints' Paul Wellens
only for the Warriors to switch the ball to the other side on the next tackle for George Carmont
to touch down. The game was still in the balance as both teams went in at 6-2 at the break. WIgan showed why they are the Champions after the break with two tries in the space of five minutes around the hour mark. The tie looked beyond doubt, however Saints fought back with two tries from Jamie Foster to make for a nervy finish. However, Wigan held out to book their place at Wembley at the end of the month.
In Wigan's next game was at home to Salford City Reds. The shine was taken of the win as it was found that Ben Cross (who had only joined Wigan the previous month) had suffered a broken arm that would not only rule him out for the Challenge Cup final but also for the rest of the season, bringing his brief Wigan career to an end.
Against Bradford, the Warriors were ruthless, running in 12 tries. Only the errant kicking boots of Pat Richards prevented the scoreline from being any higher. The 60-12 win proved the perfect preparation for the Warriors heading into the Challenge Cup final against Leeds Rhinos.
! colspan="2" | LEGEND
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|-
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Super League
World Club Challenge
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 16th 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.
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...
carried on as head coach in what would be his last season, and 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:...
continued as the club's chairman and owner. Wigan reverted to using a solo captain in 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...
, having used a "leadership team" during the previous season
2010 Wigan Warriors season
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...
. The club 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 for its 12th consecutive full season.
Wigan entered the season as defending champions, having won the 2010 Super League Grand Final
2010 Super League Grand Final
The 2010 Super League Grand Final was the conclusive and championship-deciding game of Super League XV. Held on Saturday 2 October 2010, at Manchester's Old Trafford stadium, the match was contested by English clubs St Helens and Wigan Warriors...
against rivals St Helens RLFC, and were pre-season favourites to do "The Double
The Double
The Double is a term in association football which refers to winning a country's top tier division and its primary cup competition in the same season...
" in defending their championship and winning the Challenge Cup
2011 Challenge Cup
The 2011 Challenge Cup was a rugby league football tournament which began its preliminary stages in January 2011...
. They also had an opportunity as 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...
winners to contest the 2011 World Club Challenge
2011 World Club Challenge
The 2011 World Club Challenge was contested by Super League XV champions, Wigan Warriors, and 2010 NRL Premiers, the St. George Illawarra Dragons...
at the DW Stadium on 27 February, but lost to St George Illawarra Dragons
St George Illawarra Dragons
The St George Illawarra Dragons is an Australian professional rugby league football club, representing the St. George and Illawarra regions. They have competed in the National Rugby League since 1999 as a joint venture between Sydney's historic St. George Dragons club and 1982 expansion club, the...
. Their regular season opened against St Helens RLFC on 12 February with a 16–16 draw. Their Challenge Cup campaign started in the fourth round on 8 May with a 52–0 whitewash
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...
over the Barrow Raiders
Barrow Raiders
Barrow Raiders are an English professional rugby league team from Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, who are coached by Dave Clark. Formed in 1875 as Barrow Football Club, the club is the oldest of the current professional sports teams in Cumbria....
. This was then followed up by a 28-22 win over fellow Super League side 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....
, noted for the late challenge by Bradford's Gareth Raynor
Gareth Raynor
Gareth Raynor is a rugby league player and former Great Britain international who previously played for the Crusaders and Hull in the Super League. and from his release from prison on 31 December 2010 he will be playing for the Bradford Bulls having signed a 1 year contract.- Early career:Raynor...
, on 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...
that knocked the Wigan man out cold as he scored Wigan's second try and wins over 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....
and St Helens RLFC to set up a Wembley Stadium
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
showdown with 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...
on 27 August 2011.
In the final itself, Wigan would run out 28-18 victors to record their 18th success in the competition and lift the trophy for the first time at the new Wembley Stadium.
Background
Ian LenaganIan 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:...
continued on as chairman of the club which achieved a 'B' license under 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...
's franchise system in 2008. Although Wigan's 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...
campaign ended in the quarter finals following a loss to the 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...
, the Super League campaign ended with a 22–10 victory over St Helens RLFC in the Grand Final
2010 Super League Grand Final
The 2010 Super League Grand Final was the conclusive and championship-deciding game of Super League XV. Held on Saturday 2 October 2010, at Manchester's Old Trafford stadium, the match was contested by English clubs St Helens and Wigan Warriors...
at Old Trafford
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:...
, having already won the League Leader's Shield
League 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 finishing on top the Super League table at the close of the regular season. This was the club's second Super League title, their first since Super League III
Super League III
-Dream Team:The Super League Dream Team for the 1998 season was: 1 Kris Radlinski 2 Jason Robinson 3 Gary Connolly 4 ? 5 Anthony Sullivan 6 Iestyn Harris 7 Gavin Clinch 8 Dale Laughton 9 Robbie McCormack 10 ? 11 Steele Retchless 12 ? 13 ?-External links:**...
in 1998. By virtue of becoming Super League premiers, the club was automatically entered into the 2011 World Club Challenge
2011 World Club Challenge
The 2011 World Club Challenge was contested by Super League XV champions, Wigan Warriors, and 2010 NRL Premiers, the St. George Illawarra Dragons...
to play the Australasian 2010 National Rugby League
2010 NRL season
The 2010 NRL season was the 103rd season of professional rugby league football club competition in Australia, and the thirteenth run by the National Rugby League. The season commenced on 12 March and ended with the Grand Final, played on 3 October at ANZ Stadium...
premiers, the St. George Illawarra Dragons. 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...
entered his second year as head coach, despite speculation he would return to his native Australia, following his debut year in which he brought the club's first major honour since Stuart Raper
Stuart Raper
Stuart Raper is an Australian former professional rugby league player and coach. He has since become a sideline commentator for the NRL with Foxsports...
guided Wigan to success in the 2002 Challenge Cup final. Having used a "leadership team" consisting of 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...
, George Carmont
George Carmont
George Carmont is a professional rugby league footballer for the Wigan Warriors of the Super League competition...
, 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...
, 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...
, 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 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...
, the team opted to have O'Loughlin as their sole captain.
The 2011 season was the club's sixteenth in 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...
as an ever-present side in the competition. It was also the twelfth full season playing at the DW Stadium, which the club had shared with football side 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 1999. The salary cap
Salary cap
In professional sports, a salary cap is a cartel agreement between teams that places a limit on the amount of money that can be spent on player salaries. The limit exists as a per-player limit or a total limit for the team's roster, or both...
that all Super League XVI teams had to abide by remained unchanged from the previous year at 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, although a slight change was made for the 2011 season to provide more space for a club's own-trained players.
Pre-season
Following the completion of the domestic 2010 seasons in both the Super LeagueSuper 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...
and the National Rugby League
2010 NRL season
The 2010 NRL season was the 103rd season of professional rugby league football club competition in Australia, and the thirteenth run by the National Rugby League. The season commenced on 12 March and ended with the Grand Final, played on 3 October at ANZ Stadium...
, the international season began with 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....
, this year held in Australia and New Zealand. 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...
was the only British-based player to be named in the New Zealand Kiwis
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...
squad for the tournament—Greg Eastwood
Greg Eastwood
Greg Eastwood is a professional rugby league footballer who currently plays for the Canterbury Bulldogs in the NRL. A New Zealand international representative lock or second row forward, he previously for the Brisbane Broncos, Bulldogs in the NRL and Leeds Rhinos in the European Super League...
played for 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...
during 2010 and was also announced in the squad, but returned to Canterbury Bulldogs
Canterbury Bulldogs
The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Belmore, a suburb in the Canterbury-Bankstown region of Sydney. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership, as well as New South Wales Rugby League junior competitions...
at the end of the season. 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...
, who was named Rookie of the Year at the Rugby League International Federation
Rugby League International Federation
The Rugby League International Federation is the world governing body of rugby league football. It was formed in 1998 in Sydney, Australia. Its purpose is to, "foster, develop, extend, govern and administer the game of Rugby League throughout the world". Its headquarters are in Sydney, Australia,...
awards, was named in 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...
team along with 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...
, 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 Stuart Fielden
Stuart Fielden
Stuart Fielden is an English professional rugby league footballer for Wigan of Super League...
. Leuluai featured in a pre-Four Nations 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 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...
, while Tomkins was influential in England's 18–18 warm-up match against New Zealand Māori
New Zealand Maori rugby league team
-See also:* New Zealand national rugby league team* New Zealand Māori rugby union team* New Zealand Māori cricket team-External links:* Google Books...
, helping to set up a Ryan Atkins
Ryan Atkins
Ryan Atkins is an English professional rugby league footballer who plays for the Warrington Wolves of Super League.Started his playing days With Bramley Phoenix Rugby Union An England international representative three-quarter, he previously played for the Bradford and Wakefield Trinity clubs.The...
try and scoring one of his own. However, no Wigan player managed to score for England in the whole tournament as the national team only managed one win against the minnows, 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...
. In contrast, Leuluai played in a Kiwis side which made the final, and stole victory from Australia with a Nathan Fien try in the 79th minute at the Suncorp Stadium
Suncorp Stadium
Lang Park is the original name of the site located in the Brisbane suburb of Milton, Queensland, Australia, now occupied by the major sports facility known by its sponsorship name, Suncorp Stadium...
in Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
.
At the start of the pre-season, Wigan immediately lost two players in 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 Stuart Howarth
Stuart Howarth
Stuart Howarth is a professional rugby league player, currently playing for Wakefield Trinity Wildcats in Super League. A product of the Wigan Warriors academy, Howarth is a versatile player; having played at fullback and stand off as a youth and in the Wigan set-up, while he now plies his trade as...
from the club's academy
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...
, both of whom signed for 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...
. It was also confirmed that Cameron Phelps
Cameron Phelps
Cameron Phelps is an Australian rugby league player for Hull in the European Super League competition...
would not be offered an extension to his contract, which expired at the end of the 2010 season. However, George Carmont
George Carmont
George Carmont is a professional rugby league footballer for the Wigan Warriors of the Super League competition...
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...
were both given a one-year contract for the 2011 season. 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...
refuted speculation that Josh Charnley
Josh Charnley
Josh Charnley is an English rugby league player who currently plays for the Wigan Warriors in the Super League competition.Josh showed great promise on his debut against Leeds in 2010 for Hull KR and picked up the club man of the match award...
was to join Harlequins RL on a season-long loan, while 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...
also agreed a contract extension which would keep him at Wigan until the end of the 2012 season with an additional year optional. Academy player Matthew Sarsfield signed a three-year contract 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....
. Pryce and Joe Mellor
Joe Mellor
Joseph Mellor is a professional rugby league player currently playing for Wigan Warriors in Super League. He signed as a professional for Wigan from Warrington-based amateur side Latchford Albion....
were confirmed in a one-year loan deal to Harlequins, while both Sam and 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...
along with Charnley 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 given five-year contract extensions, with Goudling and 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...
being offered three-year extensions. This completed Wigan's transfer activity during the pre-season, in addition to the signings of Brett Finch
Brett Finch
Brett Finch is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Wigan Warriors of the Super League...
, Ryan Hoffman
Ryan Hoffman
Ryan Hoffman 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...
made mid-way through the 2010 season.
Three pre-season friendles were played as a warm-up to the 2011 campaign. Firstly Wigan faced 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...
at The Willows, where a team largely consistent with the 2010 Grand Final
2010 Super League Grand Final
The 2010 Super League Grand Final was the conclusive and championship-deciding game of Super League XV. Held on Saturday 2 October 2010, at Manchester's Old Trafford stadium, the match was contested by English clubs St Helens and Wigan Warriors...
winning side, plus the additions of new arrivals Hoffman and Lima, was ultimately too much for Salford to hold back, with the Reds' head coach Shaun McRae
Shaun McRae
Shaun McRae is a rugby league coach, who is currently the director of rugby at hull fc after a spell with the Salford City Reds.-Career:...
describing Wigan as "the team to beat" for the 2011 season. A young Wigan side then defeated the Barrow Raiders
Barrow Raiders
Barrow Raiders are an English professional rugby league team from Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, who are coached by Dave Clark. Formed in 1875 as Barrow Football Club, the club is the oldest of the current professional sports teams in Cumbria....
24–32 at Craven Park
Craven Park (Barrow)
Craven Park is a rugby league stadium in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, England. It is the home of Barrow Raiders rugby league team.Craven Park was built in 1931, largely as a result of the efforts of supporters of Barrow RLFC, 500 of whom volunteered to construct the ground...
in a 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....
. In a second testimonial, this time for Jon Clarke
Jon Clarke
Jon Clarke is a hooker for Super League rugby league club Widnes Vikings. He has previously played for Wigan Warriors, London Broncos & Warrington Wolves....
, the Warriors won their final pre-season friendly 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....
.
|-
| 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 | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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... |
24–30 | Away | 16 January 2011 |
| Barrow Raiders Barrow Raiders Barrow Raiders are an English professional rugby league team from Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, who are coached by Dave Clark. Formed in 1875 as Barrow Football Club, the club is the oldest of the current professional sports teams in Cumbria.... |
24–32 | Away Craven Park (Barrow) Craven Park is a rugby league stadium in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, England. It is the home of Barrow Raiders rugby league team.Craven Park was built in 1931, largely as a result of the efforts of supporters of Barrow RLFC, 500 of whom volunteered to construct the ground... |
23 January 2011 |
| 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.... |
18–24 | 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.... |
2 February 2011 |
February
WiganWigan 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 regular season started with a 16–all draw against derby rivals St Helens RLFC in front of a 30,891 crowd at the Millennium Stadium
Millennium Stadium
The Millennium Stadium is the national stadium of Wales, located in the capital, Cardiff. It is the home of the Wales national rugby union team and also frequently stages games of the Wales national football team, but is also host to many other large scale events, such as the Super Special Stage...
—a match in which three Wigan scores, including a debut try for Ryan Hoffman
Ryan Hoffman
Ryan Hoffman is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Wigan Warriors of the Super League...
, were cancelled out by three Saints tries late in the second half. Jeff Lima
Jeff Lima
Jeff Lima is a professional rugby league footballer for the Wigan Warriors of Europe's Super League...
, who also made his debut during the first round robin
Round-robin tournament
A round-robin tournament is a competition "in which each contestant meets all other contestants in turn".-Terminology:...
game of the season, received a two match ban for alleged chicken wing tackles
Chicken wing tackle
A chicken wing tackle is a move in Rugby League and Australian Football, in which a player locks an opponent's arm so that he or she cannot legally move the ball. It is a controversial move that has injured players and resulted in fines for players performing the tackle...
, meaning he missed the World Club Challenge
2011 World Club Challenge
The 2011 World Club Challenge was contested by Super League XV champions, Wigan Warriors, and 2010 NRL Premiers, the St. George Illawarra Dragons...
later in the month. However, a 0–26 half-time lead proved too much for 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....
as the Warriors won their next game comfortably, although 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...
picked up a hamstring injury. For the World Club Challenge, which was the first match of the 2011 season played at Wigan's DW Stadium, Stuart Fielden
Stuart Fielden
Stuart Fielden is an English professional rugby league footballer for Wigan of Super League...
had to be withdrawn from the squad on match day due to injury. Gleeson was deemed fit enough to play and therefore started, but had to be withdrawn early against St George Illawarra Dragons
St George Illawarra Dragons
The St George Illawarra Dragons is an Australian professional rugby league football club, representing the St. George and Illawarra regions. They have competed in the National Rugby League since 1999 as a joint venture between Sydney's historic St. George Dragons club and 1982 expansion club, the...
because of his hamstring injury, a game which Wigan lost thanks to a Jamie Soward
Jamie Soward
Jamie Soward is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the St. George Illawarra Dragons of National Rugby League...
try despite the home side leading by one point at half-time.
In the week preceding the World Club Challenge, the Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
The Manchester Evening News is a regional daily newspaper covering Greater Manchester in the United Kingdom. It is published every day except Sunday and is owned by Trinity Mirror plc following its sale by Guardian Media Group in early 2010. It has an average daily circulation of 90,973 copies...
alleged that during the pre-season, Gleeson had been the target of blackmail
Blackmail
In common usage, blackmail is a crime involving threats to reveal substantially true or false information about a person to the public, a family member, or associates unless a demand is met. It may be defined as coercion involving threats of physical harm, threat of criminal prosecution, or threats...
which had included death threats, and that on 13 December 2010 he had contacted the police about the matter. According to the newspaper, three men were arrested in relation to the claims, but Gleeson refused to assist the police further with their investigations and the case collapsed.
March
In their round four match, in which Lima made his return from suspension, a spirited Salford City RedsSalford 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...
effort in the first half kept the visiting Wigan side to a six point lead at half-time, but three second half tries allowed the Warriors to pull away and put the World Club Challenge defeat behind them. The team maintained their unbeaten start to the league campaign with a late fightback against Hull FC
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...
, despite 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...
being sent off and a last minute penalty to Hull which would have tied the game had it been scored, but Danny Tickle
Danny Tickle
Danny Tickle, is an English professional rugby league footballer for Hull of Super League. His usual position is in the .-Playing career:...
missed with his attempt. The Tomkins brothers, Joel and Sam
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...
, both received match bans, two and one respectively, a decision which was upheld by the RFL
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...
following an appeal on Joel's ban. Nevertheless, Wigan defeated 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....
with a comfortable 6–20 win despite also missing 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...
, 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...
and Fielden in addition to the Tomkins. Pre-season signing Brett Finch
Brett Finch
Brett Finch is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Wigan Warriors of the Super League...
made a try-scoring debut for the club, and Sam Tomkins returned from suspension to take on 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 DW Stadium, but the last unbeaten start of Super League XVI fell as Wigan were easily beaten 6–24 by the visiting side.
Gleeson's omission from the squad that faced Salford, despite being injured in the previous match against St George Illawarra, fueled speculation about his future at the club, rumours which both 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...
and 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:...
remained silent on. The BBC also raised doubts on the future of Richards at the club, after they reported that 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...
were interested in signing the 2010 Super League Man of Steel. The BBC also reported that Wigan were hopeful on Gareth Hock
Gareth Hock
Gareth Hock is an English rugby league player who currently plays for English club Wigan Warriors in the Super League competition. His primary position is as a second-row forward.-Early Years:...
, who was banned by anti-doping
Doping
Doping is generally the practice of adding impurities to something.* Doping is a term for the use of performance-enhancing drugs in sport or blood doping, often to improve athletic performance....
authorities in 2009 for cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
use, being allowed to train with the club two months prior to the ban's expiration date in June.
April
A game against Leeds RhinosLeeds 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...
in round eight that seemed beyond Wigan's reach at 22–4 behind with Lima sin-binned ended in the Warriors' second draw of the season thanks to three tries late the second half, and an injury-time penalty kicked by Sam Tomkins. Lima was charged and banned for one game for the incident which had him sin-binned. Richards returned for his first appearance since being injured in the 2010 Grand Final
2010 Super League Grand Final
The 2010 Super League Grand Final was the conclusive and championship-deciding game of Super League XV. Held on Saturday 2 October 2010, at Manchester's Old Trafford stadium, the match was contested by English clubs St Helens and Wigan Warriors...
, but the club's winless streak stretched to three after being defeated by 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...
at home. 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...
was dropped for the team's next game 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...
, however the team welcomed back Deacon, Lima 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:...
from injuries and suspensions. Willie Mason
Willie Mason
William Marshall "Willie" Mason is an Australian professional rugby union footballer for Toulon in the Top 14 competition, having previously being a rugby league footballer for Hull KR in the European Super League.Mason signed a 3-year contract with Hull KR in September 2010, pending a successful...
scored his first Super League try, but Wigan defeated Hull Kingston Rovers 16–32 at Craven Park, and followed this with another win as a last minute Farrell try stole a victory for Wigan against St Helens in the traditional Good Friday
Good 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. Their second Easter weekend fixture was a whitewash
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...
as an unchanged Warriors side beat the 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...
for a third win in a row.
Following the Leeds game, Gleeson's time at his hometown club came to an end, with the club citing various reasons for the 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"....
international's departure. A day later, 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...
cleared Hock to start training with the Warriors again. In the wake of the Catalans loss, speculation in Australia over head coach Maguire's future at the club intensified after Wayne Bennett chose to be the new head coach of Newcastle Knights
Newcastle Knights
The Newcastle Knights are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Newcastle, New South Wales. They compete in Australasia's premier rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership...
, leaving an open vacancy at South Sydney Rabbitohs
South Sydney Rabbitohs
The South Sydney Rabbitohs are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in Redfern, a suburb of South-central Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League premiership and are one of nine existing teams from the state capital...
. After the match against Hull Kingston Rovers, Lenagan made an official statement on behalf of the club revealing that Maguire had accepted an offer from South Sydney Rabbitohs, and would be leaving Wigan at the end of the 2011 season, with 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...
favourite to replace him.
May
Wigan continued their winning streak at the Racecourse GroundRacecourse 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...
in Wrexham
Wrexham
Wrexham is a town in Wales. It is the administrative centre of the wider Wrexham County Borough, and the largest town in North Wales, located in the east of the region. It is situated between the Welsh mountains and the lower Dee Valley close to the border with Cheshire, England...
over Crusaders RL, a result which took them to the top of the league table, tied on points with Warrington and Huddersfield. The team's first Challenge Cup
2011 Challenge Cup
The 2011 Challenge Cup was a rugby league football tournament which began its preliminary stages in January 2011...
fixture against Barrow Raiders
Barrow Raiders
Barrow Raiders are an English professional rugby league team from Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, who are coached by Dave Clark. Formed in 1875 as Barrow Football Club, the club is the oldest of the current professional sports teams in Cumbria....
was their next match, and with Jack Hughes
Jack Hughes (rugby league)
Jack Hughes is an English rugby league player for the Wigan Warriors. His preferred playing position is at second-row. Hughes made his first-grade debut for the club in a fourth round Challenge Cup win over Barrow Raiders on 8 May 2011...
making his first-team debut, the Warriors whitewashed their opponents to advance into a fifth round meeting against Bradford later in the month. Returning to Super League action, 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...
, Sam Tomkins and Richards all scored braces on the way to a 52–6 win over Harlequins RL. An ill-tempered fifth round Cup game at Bradford's Odsal Stadium
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...
was exemplified with Gareth Raynor
Gareth Raynor
Gareth Raynor is a rugby league player and former Great Britain international who previously played for the Crusaders and Hull in the Super League. and from his release from prison on 31 December 2010 he will be playing for the Bradford Bulls having signed a 1 year contract.- Early career:Raynor...
's sending off in the first half for foul play as Sam Tomkins was scoring a try, however a Richards brace helped Wigan survive a late comeback to go through to the next round—a quarterfinal draw against Cup holders Warrington. Sam Tomkins and Richards both scored hat-tricks against Hull Kingston Rovers as Wigan completed a perfect May record in their final match of the month.
Richards, who scored nine tries and thirty-three goals during May, signed a two-year extension to his contract, rejecting a return to 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...
and a potential cross-code transfer to rugby union club Sale Sharks. Hock, whose two year suspension for drug use was due to end on 23 June, signed a five-year contract with the club to the end of the 2015 season.
June
Wigan's eight-match winning spree was toppled in the first rugby league match ever to be played at the Stade Yves-du-ManoirStade Yves-du-Manoir (Montpellier)
Stade Yves-du-Manoir is a multi-use stadium in Montpellier, France. It is currently used mostly for rugby union matches and is the home stadium of Montpellier Hérault RC. The stadium is able to hold 14,700 spectators . Rugby League side Catalans Dragons used the venue on 5th June 2011 with their...
in 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....
, after Daryl Millard
Daryl Millard
Daryl Millard is an Australian rugby league player of Fijian descent who currently plays for the Wakefield Trinity Wildcats in the European Super League...
's second try of the night handed Catalans Dragons a 20–12 victory. The seventeenth round fixture against 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'...
came just two days after the inaugural International Origin Match which featured George Carmont
George Carmont
George Carmont is a professional rugby league footballer for the Wigan Warriors of the Super League competition...
, Leuluai and Richards playing for the Exiles, and 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...
, Michael McIlorum
Michael Mcilorum
Michael David J. McIlorum is an English rugby league player who currently plays for English club Wigan Warriors in the Super League competition...
and both Tomkins brothers representing 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...
. Consequently, Origin match-winner Carmont and Sam Tomkins were both rested against Castleford, a match which Wigan looked to be comfortably winning with a 4–22 lead before a second half performance which Maguire described as "unacceptable" allowed the Tigers to come back, with Kirk Dixon
Kirk Dixon
Kirk Dixon born in England is a rugby league player for the Castleford Tigers in the Super League competition.Kirk Dixon's position of choice is as a Centre but he can also play on the Wing....
missing a late-minute conversion meaning the match ended in Wigan's third draw of the season. The Warriors returned to winning ways against St Helens in the final derby game of the regular season with a 10–32 win at the Saints' temporary 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...
base, a result which took Wigan to the top of the Super League table before Huddersfield reclaimed the position the day after. Wigan then leapfrogged Huddersfield into second place in the table after defeating them in a comprehensive 46–12 win, with Sam Tomkins scoring another hat-trick and Hock making his first appearance for the club in two years following the completion of his drugs ban received in 2009.
In the week following the Catalans match, Leuluai rubbished rumours that he intended to follow Maguire to the South Sydney Rabbitohs at the end of the year. Wane, Wigan's assistant coach and a former player, was formally backed by Maguire to succeed him as head coach for the 2012 season following the latter's return to Australia.
July
A late Danny McGuireDanny 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....
would-be try with five minutes remaining looked to have snatched a victory for Leeds, before the video referee ruled McGuire had knocked-on in the process, allowing Wigan to close out a tough 26–24 home win. Charnley scored a brace to help Wigan reach the top of the table after winning their next match 26–16 against a Castleford side missing eleven first-team players through injury, with their head coach Terry Matterson
Terry Matterson
Terry Matterson is an Australian rugby league football coach and former player. He has been the coach for the Castleford Tigers of Europe's Super League since 2005....
believing that "the welfare of the players was compromised" by playing the rearranged round 3 match mid-week in early July. Six separate players scored tries against Harlequins, including a Deacon brace, as Wigan made it three wins in nine days. Hock earned his first tries after returning from his ban with a hat-trick against Wakefield, and Sam Tomkins also scored two tries, as Wigan won their sixth match in a row, although 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...
was injured with a damaged medial ligament and was ruled out of action for six weeks.
Castleford responded to their loss against the Warriors and the injuries of Nick Fozzard
Nick Fozzard
Nicholas Fozzard is an English rugby league footballer who is currently playing for Castleford Tigers of Super League.A , his previous clubs are St. Helens, Warrington, Huddersfield, Leeds and Hull KR, and has signed a 1-year deal with Castleford Tigers for the 2011 season.During his spell with St...
and Jacob Emmitt
Jacob Emmitt
Jacob Emmitt , is a professional rugby league footballer for Castleford Tigers of Super League. A Wales international representative prop, he spent the 2010 season on loan at Leigh Centurions....
during the match by signing Wigan's 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...
on a one-month loan. On 12 July, Ben Cross was signed by the club with immediate effect until the end of the season, when it was intended that he would transfer 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...
for their return to Super League in 2012. On the same day, Carmont postponed his retirement from rugby league to carry on playing at Wigan, after signing a one-year contract for the 2012 season. However, Hoffman confirmed that when his twelve-month contract expired at the end of 2011, he would leave the club and return to 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....
, whom he left to join Wigan following their salary cap scandal in 2010.
August
August would bring 4 wins from 4 matches for the Warriors, extending their run to 12 consecutive wins. The month was bookended by triumphs in the Challenge Cup, with a hard-fought 18-12 win against St Helens in the semi final and a 28-18 victory against Leeds Rhinos in the final at Wembley. In between, there were routine wins against Salford City RedsSalford 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...
(52-18) and 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....
(60-12).
In the semi final, Wigan survived an early onslaught by St Helens who couldn't convert early opportunities. Both sides had kicks at goal in the opening 20 minutes with Jamie Foster converting his to make the score 2-0 to Saints after 30 minutes. On 33 minutes a break from Josh Charnley
Josh Charnley
Josh Charnley is an English rugby league player who currently plays for the Wigan Warriors in the Super League competition.Josh showed great promise on his debut against Leeds in 2010 for Hull KR and picked up the club man of the match award...
down Wigan's right flank was stopped by Saints' Paul Wellens
Paul Wellens
Paul Simon Wellens is an English multi-award–winning rugby league footballer. Wellens plays for St. Helens in the European Super League. Wellens is a Great Britain and England international...
only for the Warriors to switch the ball to the other side on the next tackle for George Carmont
George Carmont
George Carmont is a professional rugby league footballer for the Wigan Warriors of the Super League competition...
to touch down. The game was still in the balance as both teams went in at 6-2 at the break. WIgan showed why they are the Champions after the break with two tries in the space of five minutes around the hour mark. The tie looked beyond doubt, however Saints fought back with two tries from Jamie Foster to make for a nervy finish. However, Wigan held out to book their place at Wembley at the end of the month.
In Wigan's next game was at home to Salford City Reds. The shine was taken of the win as it was found that Ben Cross (who had only joined Wigan the previous month) had suffered a broken arm that would not only rule him out for the Challenge Cup final but also for the rest of the season, bringing his brief Wigan career to an end.
Against Bradford, the Warriors were ruthless, running in 12 tries. Only the errant kicking boots of Pat Richards prevented the scoreline from being any higher. The 60-12 win proved the perfect preparation for the Warriors heading into the Challenge Cup final against Leeds Rhinos.
Transfers in
| Pos | Name | From | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SH | Brett Finch Brett Finch Brett Finch is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Wigan Warriors of the Super League... |
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.... |
19 July 2010 | |
| PR | Jeff Lima Jeff Lima Jeff Lima is a professional rugby league footballer for the Wigan Warriors of Europe's Super League... |
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.... |
19 July 2010 | |
| SR | Ryan Hoffman Ryan Hoffman Ryan Hoffman is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Wigan Warriors of the Super League... |
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.... |
19 July 2010 | |
| SR | Gareth Hock Gareth Hock Gareth Hock is an English rugby league player who currently plays for English club Wigan Warriors in the Super League competition. His primary position is as a second-row forward.-Early Years:... |
(Suspension) | 11 May 2011 | |
| PR | Ben Cross | (Released) | 12 July 2011 |
Transfers out
| Pos | Name | To | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FB | Cameron Phelps Cameron Phelps Cameron Phelps is an Australian rugby league player for Hull in the European Super League competition... |
(Released) | October 2010 | |
| HK | Mark Riddell Mark Riddell Mark Robert Riddell is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 2000s and 2010s... |
Sydney Roosters Sydney Roosters The Sydney Roosters are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. The club competes in the National Rugby League and is one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Australian rugby league history, having won twelve New South Wales Rugby League... |
30 June 2010 | |
| SR | 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... |
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... |
1 September 2010 | |
| PR | 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... |
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... |
1 September 2010 | |
| WG | 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... |
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.... |
30 August 2010 | |
| CE | 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... |
(Released) | 4 April 2011 |
2011 squad
Fixtures
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| width=100 | Draw
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|->
Super LeagueSuper League XVIThe 2011 Super League season was the sixteenth season of rugby league football since the Super League format was introduced in 1996...
| Round | Opponent | Score | Attendance | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | St Helens RLFC | 16–16 | Neutral Millennium Stadium The Millennium Stadium is the national stadium of Wales, located in the capital, Cardiff. It is the home of the Wales national rugby union team and also frequently stages games of the Wales national football team, but is also host to many other large scale events, such as the Super Special Stage... |
30,891 | 12 February 2011 |
| 2 | 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.... |
10–44 | 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... |
15,348 | 20 February 2011 |
| 4 | 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... |
16–32 | Away | 6,266 | 4 March 2011 |
| 5 | Hull | 14–12 | Home | 15,346 | 13 March 2011 |
| 6 | 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.... |
6–20 | 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:... |
8,151 | 18 March 2011 |
| 7 | 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.... |
6–24 | Home | 20,056 | 25 March 2011 |
| 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... |
22–22 | Away | 16,118 | 1 April 2011 |
| 9 | 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... |
28–47 | Home | 13,134 | 8 April 2011 |
| 10 | 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... |
16–28 | Away | 8,703 | 15 April 2011 |
| 11 | St Helens RLFC | 28–24 | Home | 24,057 | 22 April 2011 |
| 12 | 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... |
0–26 | 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... |
8,163 | 25 April 2011 |
| 13 | Crusaders RL | 16–48 | 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... |
5,037 | 1 May 2011 |
| 14 | Harlequins RL | 54–6 | Home | 12,813 | 13 May 2011 |
| 15 | Hull Kingston Rovers | 40–6 | Home | 14,779 | 30 May 2011 |
| 16 | Catalans Dragons | 20–12 | Away Stade Yves-du-Manoir (Montpellier) Stade Yves-du-Manoir is a multi-use stadium in Montpellier, France. It is currently used mostly for rugby union matches and is the home stadium of Montpellier Hérault RC. The stadium is able to hold 14,700 spectators . Rugby League side Catalans Dragons used the venue on 5th June 2011 with their... |
9,372 | 4 June 2011 |
| 17 | Castleford Tigers | 22–22 | 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.... |
7,263 | 12 June 2011 |
| 18 | St Helens RLFC | 10–32 | Away 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... |
11,540 | 17 June 2011 |
| 19 | Huddersfield Giants | 46–12 | Home | 19,169 | 25 June 2011 |
| 20 | Leeds Rhinos | 26–24 | Home | 16,426 | 1 July 2011 |
| 3 | Castleford Tigers | 26–16 | Home | 13,096 | 6 July 2011 |
| 21 | Harlequins RL | 6–38 | Away | 4,423 | 9 July 2011 |
| 22 | Wakefield Trinity Wildcats | 48–6 | Home | 13,095 | 15 July 2011 |
World Club Challenge2011 World Club ChallengeThe 2011 World Club Challenge was contested by Super League XV champions, Wigan Warriors, and 2010 NRL Premiers, the St. George Illawarra Dragons...
| Round | Opponent | Score | Attendance | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Final | St George Illawarra Dragons St George Illawarra Dragons The St George Illawarra Dragons is an Australian professional rugby league football club, representing the St. George and Illawarra regions. They have competed in the National Rugby League since 1999 as a joint venture between Sydney's historic St. George Dragons club and 1982 expansion club, the... |
15–21 | Home | 24,268 | 27 February 2011 |
Challenge Cup2011 Challenge CupThe 2011 Challenge Cup was a rugby league football tournament which began its preliminary stages in January 2011...
| Round | Opponent | Score | Attendance | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Barrow Raiders Barrow Raiders Barrow Raiders are an English professional rugby league team from Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, who are coached by Dave Clark. Formed in 1875 as Barrow Football Club, the club is the oldest of the current professional sports teams in Cumbria.... [C] |
52–0 | Home | 8,026 | 8 May 2011 |
| 5 | Bradford Bulls [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... ] |
22–26 | Away | 5,828 | 22 May 2011 |
| Warrington Wolves [SL] | 24–44 | Away | 13,105 | 23 July 2011 |