The 2008 Wigan Warriors season saw the club compete in Super League XIII as well as the 2008 Challenge Cup tournament.
Season preview Wigan will be looking to continue their return to the top of Super League after finishing 6th in 2007. During 2008 Wigan will continue to rebuild their squad under coach Brian Noble but they will have a new owner and chairman in Ian Lenagan from 1 December 2007 after Maurice Lindsay retired and Dave Whelan decided to sell the club.
Full squad NoPlayerPositionWeight (kg)Height (m)AgeOverseasPrevious club1 Richie MathersFull back961.8824No Gold Coast Titans2 Mark CalderwoodRight wing861.8526No Leeds Rhinos3 Darrell GouldingRight centre901.8219No Wigan Warriors Academy4 George CarmontLeft centre911.8029Yes Newcastle Knights5Pat RichardsLeft wing991.9125Yes Wests Tigers6Trent BarrettStand off941.8230Yes St George Illawarra Dragons7Thomas Leuluai‡Scrum half851.7122No Harlequins RL8Stuart FieldenProp1081.9128No Bradford Bulls9Mickey HighamHooker861.7327No Bradford Bulls10Iafeta PaleaaesinaProp1181.8725Yes New Zealand Warriors11Gareth HockSecond row921.8824No Wigan Warriors Academy12Phil BaileySecond row931.8927Yes Cronulla Sharks13Sean O'LoughlinLoose forward931.8725No Wigan Warriors Academy14Liam ColbonRight wing921.8723No Wigan Warriors Academy15Andy ColeyProp1081.8929No Salford City Reds16Harrison Hansen‡Second row891.8422No Wigan Warriors Academy17Michael McIlorumHooker791.7420NoWigan Warriors Academy19Paul PrescottProp991.9021NoWigan Warriors Academy20Karl PryceCentre1181.9821NoGloucester RU21Cameron PhelpsCentre891.7823YesCanterbury Bulldogs22Joel TomkinsSecond row951.8820No Wigan Warriors Academy23Ben Kavanagh (On loan To Widnes Vikings)Second row1071.8420No Wigan Warriors Academy24Eamon O'CarrollProp1031.8020No Wigan Warriors Academy25Thomas Coyle (On loan to Halifax)Scrum half831.7120No Wigan Warriors Academy26Nicky StantonRight wing851.8021No Wigan Warriors Academy27Lee MossopProp1041.8519No Wigan Warriors Academy28Mark FlanaganLoose forward901.7420No Bradford Bulls29Sam TomkinsStand off771.8019NoWigan Warriors Academy30Chris TusonSecond row18NoWigan Warriors Academy31Shaun AinscoughLeft wing861.7318NoWigan Warriors Academy32Tim SmithScrum half921.8023Yes Parramatta Eels40Sam Reay†Full back23No Wigan Warriors Academy † Added to the squad for pre-season friendlies. †† Added to the squad on 27 May 2008. ‡ Qualify as non-quota players because they were playing in the British Federation before they were 21 years of age.
Transfers
Transfer for 2008 (in) NameTransferred fromFeeDate signedAndy ColeySalford City RedsFree transferSeptember 2007Richie MathersGold Coast TitansFree transferNovember 2007George CarmontNewcastle KnightsFree transferNovember 2007Karl PryceGloucester Rugby UnionFree transferDecember 2007Cameron PhelpsCanterbury BulldogsFree transferMay 2008Tim SmithParramatta EelsFree transferMay 2008
Transfer for 2008 (out) NameTransferred toFeeDate releasedBryan FletcherRetiredN/ASeptember 2007David VaealikiManly Sea EaglesReleasedOctober 2007Shane MillardRetiredN/AOctober 2007Danny HillWidnes VikingsReleasedNovember 2007Ben KavanaghWidnes VikingsFree transferJune 2008Nicky StantonLeigh CenturionsFree transferSeptember 2008
2008 loans (out) NameLoan toLoan startedLoan endedBen KavanaghWidnes VikingsFebruary 2008June 2008
Fixtures/results
Competition Round Opponent Result Score Home/away Venue Attendance Date Friendly N/A Warrington Wolves Lose 30–22 Away Halliwell Jones Stadium 6,57313 Jan 2008Friendly N/A Bradford Bulls Win 16–28 Away Grattan Stadium 5,03620 Jan 2008Friendly N/A Widnes Vikings Win 18–42 Away Halton Stadium 5,106 27 Jan 2008 Super League XIII 1 Harlequins RL Win 28–47 Away Twickenham Stoop 8,041 9 Feb 2008 Super League XIII 2 Castleford Tigers Win 28–16 Home JJB Stadium 16,667 15 Feb 2008 Super League XIII 3 HullLose 24–22 Away KC Stadium 13,226 22 Feb 2008 Super League XIII 4 Bradford BullsWin 28–14 Home JJB Stadium 15,444 1 Mar 2008 Super League XIII 5 Warrington Wolves Lose 32–20 Away Halliwell Jones Stadium 13,024 8 Mar 2008 Super League XIII 6 Huddersfield Giants Win 19–20 Away Galpharm Stadium 8,417 16 Mar 2008 Super League XIII 7 St. HelensLose46–10 Away Knowsley Road 17,500 21 Mar 2008 Super League XIII 8 Hull Kingston Rovers Win 18–12 Home JJB Stadium 16,457 24 Mar 2008 Super League XIII 9 Wakefield Trinity Wildcats Win 8–4 Home JJB Stadium 12,933 28 Mar 2008 Super League XIII 10 Leeds Rhinos Win 10–14 Away Headingley Carnegie Stadium 18,769 5 Apr 2008 Super League XIII 11 Catalans Dragons Lose 24–26 Home JJB Stadium 13,044 11 Apr 2008 Challenge Cup Rnd4 Pia Donkeys Win 74–4 Home JJB Stadium 4,423 20 Apr 2008 Super League XIII 12 Bradford Bulls Lose 26–12 Away Grattan Stadium 11,894 27 Apr 2008 Super League XIII 13 St Helens Lose 57–16 Away Millennium Stadium 32,516 4 May 2008 Challenge Cup Rnd5 Whitehaven Win 106–8 Home JJB Stadium 3,814 12 May 2008 Super League XIII 14 Warrington Wolves Win 38–14 Home JJB Stadium 15,537 16 May 2008 Super League XIII 15 Wakefield Trinity Wildcats Win 38–30 Away Atlantic Solutions Stadium 6,370 25 May 2008 Challenge Cup QF Leeds Rhinos Lose 23–16 Away Headingley Carnegie Stadium 10,129 1 June 2008 Super League XIII 16 Huddersfield Giants† Postponed N/A Home JJB Stadium N/A 6 Jun 2008 Super League XIII 17 Catalans Dragons Lose 45–38 Away Stade Gilbert Brutus 9,125 14 Jun 2008 Super League XIII 18 Castleford Tigers Draw 22–22 Away The Jungle 7,048 22 Jun 2008 Super League XIII 19 Harlequins RL Win 38–20 Home JJB Stadium 11,453 27 Jun 2008 Super League XIII 20 Leeds Rhinos Win 23–22 Home JJB Stadium 14,911 5 Jul 2008 Super League XIII 21 Hull Kingston Rovers Lose 39–22 Away Craven Park 8,481 13 Jul 2008 Super League XIII 22 St Helens Lose 46–12 Home JJB Stadium 19,958 18 Jul 2008 Super League XIII 16 Huddersfield Giants† Lose 34–4 Home JJB Stadium 12,216 25 Jul 2008 Super League XIII 23 Hull FC Win 66–6 Home JJB Stadium 12,842 1 Aug 2008 Super League XIII 24 Catalans Dragons Draw 16–16 Away Stade Gilbert Brutus 9,535 9 Aug 2008 Super League XIII 25 Wakefield Trinity Wildcats Win 32–22 Home JJB Stadium 12,319 15 Aug 2008 Super League XIII 26 Leeds Rhinos Lose 16–52 Home JJB Stadium 14,778 22 Aug 2008 Super League XIII 27 St. Helens Draw 16–16 Away Knowsley Road 14,113 5 Sep 2008 Super League XIII Playoffs Week 1 Bradford Bulls‡ Win 30–14 Home/Neutral The Stobart Stadium Halton 6,806 12 Sep 2008 Super League XIII Playoffs Week 2 Catalans Dragons Win 26–50 Away Stade Gilbert Brutus 9,985 20 Sep 2008 Super League XIII Playoffs Week 3 Leeds Rhinos Lose 14–18 Away Headingley Carnegie Stadium 13,112 26 Sep 2008 † Wigan Warriors against Huddersfield Giants on 6 June 2008 was postponed due to resurfacing work at the JJB Stadium. The match was re-arranged for 25 July 2008. ‡ Match was originally due to take place at the JJB Stadium but the venue was changed due to the unavailability of the Stadium on that date.
Statistics Team Statistics StatisticTotalTotal Tries109Total Points648Total Goals105Drop Goals2Metres34324Carries5111Tackles7412Offloads316Attacking Kicks282Runs From Dummy Half744Tackle Busts667Maker Tackles857Clean Breaks149Forty Twenties1Kicks in General Play497Missed Goals31Missed Tackles31Errors270Penalties229Red Cards (Sent Off)4Yellow Cards (Sin Binned)4 Top 5 Appearances Player nameAppearancesAndy Coley36Thomas LeuLuai35George Carmont35Pat Richards34Harrison Hansen34
Top 5 Try Scores Player nameTriesPat Richards17George Carmont15Harrison Hansen14Thomas LeuLuai14Joel Tomkins12
Top 3 Goal Scorers Player nameGoalsPat Richards157Cameron Phelps4Sean O'Loughlin4
Staff Management board President – Peter Higginbottom Owner and chairman – Ian Lenagan Chief executive – Mick Hogan
Rugby Performance director – Joe Lydon Head coach – Brian Noble Assistant coach – Phil Veivers Strength & conditioning coach – Mike Forshaw Reserve team coach – Shaun Wane Academy team coach – John Pendlebury
References
External links Official site Wigan RL 2008 Season on the Wigan RL Fansite. Wigan RL 2008 Reserve Team on the Wigan RL Fansite. Wigan RL 2008 Academy Team on the Wigan RL Fansite. Wigan-Warriors fan site