Finals Week 1
Wigan Warriors 18 d. Castleford Tigers 12

2009 engage English Super League Index [Table] [Draw] [Player Stats] [Club Headlines]

Location: United Kingdom > National > First Grade Competition: engage English Super League

Warriors Tame Tigers
Mon September 21, 2009
Source: www.superleague.co.uk

Wigan Warriorsare on course to make their now traditional late-season drive for glory after squeezing through the first round of the engage Super League play-offs thanks to an 18-12 victory over Castleford Tigers.

Without being anywhere near their best, the Warriors saw off Castleford in a scrappy elimination play-off to earn a trip to Hull KR in next Saturday's preliminary semi-final.

Wigan, who went within one match of the Grand Final in each of the last two years, produced a tremendous defensive display in what was almost certainly coach Brian Noble's last home match to keep the dream alive.

Castleford were a big disappointment on their return to the play-offs after a seven-year gap and never seriously threatened to repeat their shock play-off win in the first-ever match at the JJB Stadium 10 years ago almost to the day.

A match punctuated by a series of handling errors and penalties from both sides suddenly came alive in the closing stages as the visitors fought back from 18-0 but it was too little, too late from the Yorkshiremen.

Wigan deserved their win after creating more tryscoring chances but it was hardly a performance to frighten Leeds Rhinos or St Helens.

Warriors second rower Harrison Hansen was held up on his back over the line in the early stages after good work from Thomas Leuluai and winger Pat Richards went close to touching down his own kick.

Castleford's best chance of the first half fell to full-back Richard Owen, whose jinking run to the line was halted by a tremendous last-ditch tackle from Wigan centre George Carmont.

When the deadlock was finally broken on 21 minutes, it was appropriate that the try came from a handling error, Hansen pouncing on a loose ball after Tigers winger Kirk Dixon failed to deal with Leuluai's towering kick to the corner.

The Warriors extended their lead in similar fashion 10 minutes later, Richards cleanly collecting Leuluai's kick to get Carmont over.

Richards kicked both conversions to make it 12-0 at the break and extended his side's lead with a penalty three minutes into the second half.

There was no way back for Castleford when a neat pass by young stand-off Sam Tomkins created an overlap for full-back Cameron Phelps to get winger Amos Roberts over for Wigan's third try on 51 minutes.

Castleford's last chance to get back in the game disappeared in the third quarter when forward Stuart Jones got to the line only to be turned onto his back.

Prop Craig Huby brushed aside the challenge of Phelps to claim a try on 61 minutes to give the Tigers hope but only four minutes remained when Owen carved out an opening for Joe Westerman to score a second try, which the loose forward also converted.

Comprehensive 2008 Super League Regular Season Stats

2009 CLUB LINKS
Leeds | St Helens | Huddersfield | Hull KR | Wakefield | Wigan | Castleford
Catalans | Bradford | Warrington | Harlequins | Hull FC | Salford City | Celtic

ROUND BY ROUND LINKS
Round 1 | Round 2 | Round 3 | Round 4 | Round 5 | Round 6 | Round 7 | Round 8 | Round 9
Round 10 | Round 11 | Round 12 | Round 13 | Round 14 | Round 15 | Round 16 | Round 17 | Round 18
Round 19 | Round 20 | Round 21 | Round 22 | Round 23 | Round 24 | Round 25 | Round 26 | Round 27

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Preview: Wigan (6) v Castleford (7) - Semi Final #4
Sun September 20, 2009
Castleford Tigers are virtually at full strength with the versatile Dean Widders back in the side after recovering from slight quad injury.

Wigan Warriors are boosted by the return of stand-off Sam Tomkins and hooker Mark Riddell.

Riddell missed last Sunday's 48-16 defeat at Huddersfield after returning to Australia on compassionate leave while Tomkins rested an ankle injury.

Terry Flanagan will be vying with Michael McIlorum for a substitute spot for Wigan.

The winners of Sunday's second sudden-death tie will earn an away game in the preliminary semi-finals of the new-look play-off system.

Preview Source: www.superleague.co.uk

WIGAN WARRIORS (6) v CASTLEFORD TIGERS (7)
Date: Sunday 20th September 2009
Venue: JJB Stadium
Kick Off: 7:00pm (UK), 4:00am (AEST)
Referee: Ian Smith
Wigan: Roberts, Carmont, Richards, Leuluai, Fielden, Riddell, Paleaaesina, O'Loughlin, J. Tomkins, Coley, Hansen, McIlorum, Prescott, Pryce, Phelps, Gleeson, Mossop, S. Tomkins, Flanagan.
Castleford: Owen, Dixon, Shenton, Evans, Wainwright, Chase, Sherwin, Sargent, Huby, Ferres, Clayton, Westerman, Jones, Higgins, Feather, Boyle, Netherton, McGoldrick, Widders.
Betting: Super League Finals | Wigan v Castleford


WIGAN WARRIORS STATS
Players Used (26): Shaun Ainscough, Phil Bailey, George Carmont, Andy Coley, Stuart Fielden, Mark Flanagan, Martin Gleeson, Darrell Goulding, Harrison Hansen, Gareth Hock, Thomas Leuluai, Richie Mathers, Michael McIllorum, Lee Mossop, Eamon O'Carroll, Sean O'Loughlin, Iafeta Palea'aesina, Cameron Phelps, Paul Prescott, Karl Pryce, Pat Richards, Mark Riddell, Amos Roberts, Tim Smith, Joel Tomkins, Sam Tomkins.

Most Games:
27: Stuart Fielden, Iafeta Palea'aesina, Thomas Leuluai
26: Andy Coley, Amos Roberts, Joel Tomkins
25: Pat Richards, Mark Riddell

Crowd Information:
Total: Games 26 - 306840 (Average: 11,802)
Home: Games 13 - 183140 (Average: 14,088)
Away: Games 13 - 123700 (Average: 9,515)

Leading Point Scorers:
232: Pat Richards (25)
54: Amos Roberts (26)
52: Shaun Ainscough (11)
49: Sam Tomkins (20)
48: George Carmont (23)

Leading Try Scorers:
18: Pat Richards (25)
13: Shaun Ainscough (11)
12: George Carmont (23), Sam Tomkins (20)
11: Amos Roberts (26)
9: Thomas Leuluai (27)

Leading Goal Scorers:
80: Pat Richards (25)
5: Amos Roberts (26)


CASTLEFORD TIGERS STATS
Players Used (25): Ryan Boyle, Rangi Chase, Ryan Clayton, Kirk Dixon, Daniel Evans, James Evans, Sione Faumuina, Chris Feather, Brett Ferres, James Ford, Liam Higgins, Craig Huby, Ryan Hudson, Stuart Jones, Nathan Massey, Ryan McGoldrick, Kirk Netherton, Richard Owen, Mitchell Sargent, Michael Shenton, Brent Sherwin, Jordan Thompson, Michael Wainwright, Joe Westerman, Dean Widders.

Most Games:
27: Rangi Chase, Mitchell Sargent
26: Michael Shenton
25: Kirk Dixon

Crowd Information:
Total: Games 26 - 208955 (Average: 8,037)
Home: Games 13 - 97361 (Average: 7,489)
Away: Games 13 - 111594 (Average: 8,584)

Leading Point Scorers:
170: Kirk Dixon (25)
110: Joe Westerman (24)
64: Michael Shenton (26)
44: Brett Ferres (24)
41: Rangi Chase (27)

Leading Try Scorers:
17: Kirk Dixon (25)
16: Michael Shenton (26)
11: Brett Ferres (24)
10: Rangi Chase (27)
8: James Evans (18), Richard Owen (22), Joe Westerman (24)

Leading Goal Scorers:
51: Kirk Dixon (25)
39: Joe Westerman (24)
1: Craig Huby (24)

Comprehensive 2008 Super League Regular Season Stats

Betting: Super League Finals | Wigan v Castleford

2009 CLUB LINKS
Leeds | St Helens | Huddersfield | Hull KR | Wakefield | Wigan | Castleford
Catalans | Bradford | Warrington | Harlequins | Hull FC | Salford City | Celtic

ROUND BY ROUND LINKS
Round 1 | Round 2 | Round 3 | Round 4 | Round 5 | Round 6 | Round 7 | Round 8 | Round 9
Round 10 | Round 11 | Round 12 | Round 13 | Round 14 | Round 15 | Round 16 | Round 17 | Round 18
Round 19 | Round 20 | Round 21 | Round 22 | Round 23 | Round 24 | Round 25 | Round 26 | Round 27

SEASON LINKS
Article | Main | Table | Draw | Stats | Forum | Betting

Tue September 15, 2009
• Your guide to the new engage Super League playoffs
  

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