Lam previews St Helens

[josie andrews]

Wigan Head Coach looks ahead to Friday’s Betfred Super League Semi-Final vs St helens.

“It’s the biggest rivalry in Rugby League in the world” Lam

St Helens vs Wigan Warriors, Friday 27th September, Totally Wicked Stadium, K.O. 7:45pm

Wigan Warriors Head Coach Adrian Lam believes Friday’s away tie with St Helens is the sort that “everyone wants to play in” as he prepares his side for the Betfred Super League Semi-Final (K.O. 7:45pm).
Friday’s Semi-Final will be the fourth time Wigan have faced St Helens in 2019, with Saints having won the previous three.

Speaking at a joint press conference with Friday’s opponents at the Totally Wicked Stadium on Tuesday, Lam discussed their previous meetings.

I think our season has been up and down really. As it’s built up and we’ve got players back we’ve been able to create some momentum in this back half.

“With regards to Saints, they’ve been the best team all year and it’s difficult to come here, even when you’re at your best. We are looking forward to the challenge. These are the games that everyone wants to play in. It’s the biggest rivalry in Rugby League in the world. If you can’t get up for this game then you don’t belong.”

Wigan youngster Morgan Smithies has gathered attention from the Rugby League community following his performance against Salford in which he broke the record for tackles in a Super League game last week.

On Smithies Lam said, “It’s a fair feat in this modern day, but he’s young and has plenty of energy. I’m sure he can back it up again this week.”

Wigan’s young forwards as a group have come in for considerable praise over recent weeks. On the challenge of the youngsters facing St Helens Lam said, “It’s the biggest challenge in the competition. They’ve (Saints) been playing so well as a group for quite a while now.

“If you look across the sport at the moment there is a lot of great young talent coming through. They’ve got to get up for these matches.”

The 49 year-old also provided an update on injuries heading into Friday’s game, beginning with hooker Sam Powell, who left the field of play early last week against Salford with a wrist injury.

“He’s just getting some X-Rays today, so we should know a bit more about him tomorrow. Fingers crossed he’s OK but we will see. He also provided updates on half-backs Jarrod Sammut and Jake Shorrocks who have been sidelined for a number of weeks. “Sammut and Shorrocks are now fit, so they’ll be in contention for this game too. They’ve both been out for six weeks now so to have them back in the mix is good.”

The Head Coach also provided an update on Ollie Partington, who missed out last week whilst serving a one-match ban.

“He’s had a week off, which might have been just as well because he’s had a lot of minutes and we’d have liked to have rested him at some stage, but we haven’t.”

https://www.wiganwarriors.com/news/2019 ... -st-helens

[josie andrews]

Down to desire: Leuluai

Wigan Warriors half-back previews Friday’s Betfred Super League Semi-Final vs St Helens.

Leuluai: “That is how big games are won. Not flashy plays or set pieces, it is down to desire.”

St Helens vs Wigan Warriors, Friday 27th September, Totally Wicked Stadium, K.O. 7:45pm.

Tommy Leuluai has told his Wigan Warriors teammates they will need to be gritty not pretty if they are to beat bitter rivals St Helens and reach the Betfred Super League Grand Final.

Wigan stand on the brink of one of the most remarkable turnarounds in Super League history having been in relegation trouble earlier in the season to now standing on the cusp of defending the title they won 12 months ago.

But first they must overcome their fiercest rivals Saints if they are to reach Old Trafford on October 12th.

And Leuluai – a veteran in this young Warriors team – says his side must work hard and show the desire to win – just as they did in their 18-12 Qualifier win over Salford Red Devils last week.

image: https://www.wiganwarriors.com/admin/res ... -w1600.jpg
Leuluai and St Helens forward Morgan Knowles at Tuesday’s joint press conference at the Totally Wicked Stadium.

“After the Salford game I described the performance as gritty but not pretty and it will definitely need to be the same on Friday.

“That is how big games are won. Not flashy plays or set pieces, it is down to desire. That is why it was such a good game for us to play because when it came to it we were able to dig deep and show that we could work hard.

“Maybe we had to work harder than we wanted to at some points, but it was good to know that we could do it.

“From my time here we have always had a tough underbelly. It is something we work on. We have players who are good in these situations.”


https://www.wiganwarriors.com/news/2019 ... 23UGpIM.99

[Nezza Faz]

I think it will be an attritional game dictated by the middles, especially with all the rain forecast to fall and so it will be the side who makes the fewest mistakes and keeps their discipline, not giving an inch and tackles for the full 80.
Will need to be patient, play the percentages and only be expansive if there's an opportunity, you can't win the match in the first few minutes but you can lose it with unnecessary errors in our own territory.

[shaunedwardsfanclub]

I think it will be an attritional game dictated by the middles, especially with all the rain forecast to fall and so it will be the side who makes the fewest mistakes and keeps their discipline, not giving an inch and tackles for the full 80.
Will need to be patient, play the percentages and only be expansive if there's an opportunity, you can't win the match in the first few minutes but you can lose it with unnecessary errors in our own territory.

Salford showed the way against Cas.

[moto748]

Yes, they looked solid and organised. And they have Hastings.