1997 Wigan Warriors season

The 1997 Wigan Warriors season was the 102nd season in the club's rugby league history and the second season in the Super League. Coached by Eric Hughes, the Warriors competed in Super League II and finished in 4th place, but went on to win the Premiership Final at Old Trafford against St. Helens. The club also competed in the 1997 Challenge Cup, and were knocked out in the fourth round by St Helens.

1997 Wigan Warriors season
Super League II Rank4th
Play-off resultWon Premiership Final
Challenge Cup4th round
1997 recordWins: 14; draws: 0; losses: 8
Points scoredFor: 683; against: 398
Team information
StadiumCentral Park
← 1996 List of seasons 1998 →

Background

The inaugural Super League season in 1996 was a disappointing year for Wigan. Although they finished the year with a victory in the 1996 Premiership final, the club ended the league season as runners-up to rivals St Helens, the first time since 1989 that they had failed to win the league, and their nine-year unbeaten run in the Challenge Cup had come to an end. From the start of the 1997 season, the club became known as Wigan Warriors.[1]

The club was struggling with financial problems, and was reportedly over £3 million in debt. Dave Whelan, owner of the town's football club Wigan Athletic, had offered to buy the rugby club's ground, Central Park, which would be redeveloped into an all-seater stadium and shared by both clubs. In January 1997, Wigan Warriors' shareholders voted in favour of accepting the offer,[2] but two months later the board instead decided to sell the ground to Tesco, who had offered considerably more money than Whelan, and the club intended to share the newly built Reebok Stadium with Bolton Wanderers until it could build its own new stadium.[3] The decision led to the departure of director John Martin, who had backed Whelan's proposal.[4] The shareholders, unhappy that the club was being moved out of town, demanded the resignation of two of the club's board members, Jack Robinson and Tom Rathbone.[5] Following months of continuous protests by shareholders and supporters, Robinson and Rathbone resigned in August, with Arthur Thomas taking over as chairman.[6] Thomas resigned in October, and the club was taken over by Mike Nolan, a local businessman and former rugby league player with Rochdale Hornets and St Helens.[7] The plan to move in with Bolton Wanderers was dropped, and the club announced they would share a proposed new stadium at Robin Park with Wigan Athletic as of the start of the 2000 season.[8]

Prior to the start of the league season, The Independent wrote that Wigan's squad was "thin on genuine quality", and predicted that the team would finish third.[9]

Match results

Challenge Cup

Wigan were drawn against St Helens in the fourth round of the Challenge Cup. Wigan lost 12–26 against their local rivals, with the result eventually leading to the departure of coach Graeme West a week later.[10]

RoundDateOpponentVenueScoreTriesGoalsAttendance
Fourth8 February 1997St HelensAway12–26RadlinskiFarrell (4)12,262

World Club Championship

Wigan were in Pool A for the 1997 World Club Championship.

Group stage

GameDateOpponentVenueScoreTriesGoalsAttendance
19 June 1997Canterbury BulldogsAway22–18Robinson (2), Haughton, A. JohnsonFarrell (2), Paul10,680
216 June 1997Brisbane BroncosAway0–3414,833
322 June 1997Canberra RaidersAway22–56Radlinski (2), Connolly, HallFarrell (3)9,098
420 July 1997Brisbane BroncosHome4–30Farrell (2)13,476
528 July 1997Canterbury BulldogsHome31–24Connolly, Cowie, Farrell, Radlinski, RobinsonFarrell (5, 1dg)10,280
63 August 1997Canberra RaidersHome10–50HaughtonFarrell (3)12,504

Knockout stage

RoundDateOpponentVenueScoreTriesGoalsAttendance
Quarter-final3 October 1997Hunter MarinersHome18–22Ellison (2), RadlinskiFarrell (3)9,553

Table
Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts Relegation
1 Bradford Bulls (C) 22 20 0 2 769 397 +372 40
2 London Broncos 22 15 3 4 616 418 +198 33
3 St Helens 22 14 1 7 592 506 +86 29
4 Wigan 22 14 0 8 683 398 +285 28
5 Leeds Rhinos 22 13 1 8 544 463 +81 27
6 Salford Reds 22 11 0 11 428 495 −67 22
7 Halifax Blue Sox 22 8 2 12 524 549 −25 18
8 Sheffield Eagles 22 9 0 13 415 574 −159 18
9 Warrington Wolves 22 8 0 14 437 647 −210 16
10 Castleford Tigers 22 5 2 15 334 515 −181 12
11 Paris Saint-Germain 22 6 0 16 362 572 −210 12
12 Oldham Bears (R) 22 4 1 17 461 631 −170 9 Relegated to Division One
Source: Rugby League Project
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Points difference; 3) Number of points scored;
(C) Champions; (R) Relegated

Squad

Source:[11]

Players marked * left the club during the season.

No Player Apps Tries Goals DGs Points
1Kris Radlinski33150060
2Jason Robinson31200080
3Va'aiga Tuigamala *10000
4Gary Connolly28150060
5Rob Smyth00000
6Henry Paul2774036
7Shaun Edwards *10000
8Neil Cowie272008
9Mick Cassidy332008
10Terry O'Connor281004
11Simon Haughton31150060
13Andy Farrell3391464332
14Craig Murdock1840016
15Andy Johnson31160064
16Danny Ellison12100040
17Stephen Holgate310000
18Stuart Lester80000
20Nigel Wright142019
21Daryl Cardiss1630012
22Paul Johnson102008
23Ian Sherratt00000
24Sean Long *40000
25Gaël Tallec2830012
26Doc Murray80000
27Martin Hall1821010
28Paul Koloi51004
29Lee Hansen250000
30Tony Smith23160064
31Ian Talbot31004
32Neil Baynes20000
33Lee Gilmour10000
34Jon Clarke91004

Transfers

References
  1. "New name for Wigan". The Times. 31 October 1996. p. 45.
  2. Hadfield, Dave (12 January 1997). "Rugby league : Wigan vote to stay at home". The Independent. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
  3. Hadfield, Dave (6 March 1997). "Rugby League: Wigan exiled by £12m Central Park sale". The Independent. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
  4. Hadfield, Dave (26 February 1997). "Resignation adds to Wigan's troubles". The Independent. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
  5. "Wigan chief under fire". The Bolton News. p. 14 March 1997. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
  6. Hadfield, Dave (19 August 1997). "Rugby League: Reviled Robinson steps down at Wigan". The Independent. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
  7. "Rugby League: Takeover saves Wigan from going to the wall". The Independent. 31 October 1997. p. 32.
  8. Hadfield, Dave (19 November 1997). "Rugby League: Wigan plan to ground-share with football neighbours Athletic by year 2000". The Independent. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
  9. "Rugby: Club-by-club guide to the Super League". The Independent. 13 March 1997. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
  10. Hadfield, Dave (17 February 1997). "Rugby League: West resigns at Wigan after refusing new role". The Independent. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
  11. Fletcher, Raymond; Howes, David (1998). Rothmans Rugby League Yearbook 1998. London: Headline. p. 137. ISBN 978-0-7472-7683-8.
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