Warriors reach Grand Final

In a thrilling match, the Wigan Warriors secured their place in the Betfred Super League Grand Final by defeating the Leigh Leopards. Liam Marshall and Sam Walters each scored two tries, while Bevan French and Jai Field added spectacular individual efforts to solidify the victory. Adam Keighran contributed by successfully converting seven tries throughout the game. The final score was Wigan Warriors 38, Leigh Leopards 0.

Wigan Warriors Defeat Leigh Leopards To Reach Grand Final

The Warriors delivered a strong performance from beginning to end, securing a win against the Leigh Leopards in the Betfred Super League Play-Off Semi-Final. More than 20,000 fans gathered at The Brick Community Stadium to witness the action.

Liam Marshall kicked off the scoring, followed by Sam Walters adding another for the Warriors. Just before half-time, Marshall found the net again. After the break, Walters netted once more, and standout performances from Bevan French and Jai Field ensured the Cherry and Whites' victory, marking their second consecutive trip to the Grand Final.

Both teams played solid defense during the first 10 minutes of the match. The visiting team took advantage of a loose ball, which gave them an early opportunity, but the Warriors were ready and managed to stop them. Matt Peet’s team nearly took the lead with a strong offensive push down the right side, but they ultimately ran out of chances to finish the attack.

Shortly after, Harry Smith landed a powerful kick that caused issues for Matt Moylan, leading to a knock-on and giving the Warriors a chance deep in Leigh's half. Ethan Havard then powered through the center before they shifted the ball to the left side, where Jai Field connected with Liam Marshall, who scored in the corner to put them ahead 4-0 at the 12-minute mark. Keighran's conversion attempt went slightly to the left of the goalposts.

The Warriors maintained their relentless pressure, with Junior Nsemba effectively passing the ball to create an opportunity for his team to attack. Following a strong run, they earned another set of plays just 5 meters from the goal line. The Cherry and Whites had posed a significant threat whenever they neared the Leopards' try-line, and this time, they capitalized on the chance without any errors.

After making an impressive carry earlier in the game, Sam Walters battled against two defenders, using his reach to score. Keighran successfully converted the kick from the right side, putting the Warriors ahead by 10 points.

As the game resumed, a tackle by Edwin Ipape on Nsemba did not sit well with the home fans, but referee Chris Kendall deemed it worthy of a penalty. The Warriors capitalized on their favorable position, advancing steadily up the field in their next two possessions. However, Harry Smith's kick was caught in the in-goal area by Ricky Leutele, giving the visitors a much-needed break.

The Leopards aimed to take advantage of the situation as they restarted play from the 20-meter mark, kicking off what would be their strongest set of the half. They swiftly shifted the ball from one side to the other, trying to form an advantage on Abbas Miski's side. However, the 29-year-old was quick to respond, intercepting the pass and launching a counterattack in the opposite direction.

Miski put in a remarkable performance, getting tackled by Lachlan Lam only 20 meters away from the Leopards' try-line. With his teammates poised to help, Field managed to get Ipape to go offside. The Warriors decided to take the penalty kick, and Keighran confidently converted it from right in front of the goalposts, widening their lead by two points.

Even though Bevan French made an early attempt from the kick-off to give Adrian Lam's team an opportunity to bounce back from their last play, the Warriors held strong in defense. The home team appeared more composed than their opponents during the first half, and they were given another opportunity with a penalty when Jake Wardle was fouled around the halfway line while pursuing Harry Smith's kick.

Although that specific opportunity didn’t lead to any points, Leigh found it hard to escape their own half from that point onward. Wigan took advantage and scored a third try during a strong showing. Keighran nearly got the try himself but was stopped just short. The Warriors quickly shifted the ball back to their effective left side, where Marshall was poised to score his second try of the game. Keighran successfully converted the try, bringing the score to 18-0 as the teams headed into halftime.

At the start of the second half, Aaron Pene from Leigh made a mistake by knocking on the ball, which gave the Warriors a great opportunity to pick up right where they left off. After testing the Leopards’ right side, Wigan quickly passed the ball back inside to French. He delivered a clever short pass to Walters, who took advantage of the open space to score again, making it his second try of the evening. Keighran successfully converted the kick.

Leigh showed a strong reaction and maintained pressure for the next ten minutes, but a mix of mistakes and Wigan's tough defense kept the visitors from scoring, even with less than thirty minutes remaining. A powerful tackle by Tom Forber led to a knock-on by the Leopards in their own half. The Warriors then launched a fast attack, catching their opponents offside again. Once more, the Warriors chose to take the two points, and Keighran successfully converted in front of the goalposts.

The Warriors managed to fend off the Leopard's repeated attempts before Nsemba picked up a stray ball, igniting a thrilling counterattack. He passed it to Field, who then connected with Marshall, just as he was about to get stopped near the Leigh area.

As Bevan French advanced down the right side, he got the ball just 10 metres away from the goal and prepared to show off his signature skill. He seemed to pause briefly, sizing up the defenders in front of him, before expertly kicking the ball past them. French then scooped it up, maneuvered around Zak Hardaker, and scored with a grin for the crowd in the South Stand. Keighran successfully converted the kick once more, and as the Wigan fans cheered, it was clear the Warriors were making their move.

With just five minutes remaining and the win nearly secured, Field capped off an outstanding evening by scoring a well-deserved try, ensuring the Warriors' trip to Old Trafford. From a scrum situated 40 meters away, the Australian showcased his remarkable speed, sprinting around the Leopard's right side and skillfully staying in bounds as he dashed down the sideline to score directly in front of the goalposts. Keighran successfully converted the kick for the seventh time.

With just a minute remaining, Field seemed poised to score again as he sprinted after Marshall’s kick along the left side. However, he stumbled just before he could reach the goal-line, and Tyler Dupree ended up in the sin bin. Despite this, over 20,000 fans at Brick Community Stadium witnessed the Cherry and Whites clinch a spot in the Grand Final for the second straight year, where the Warriors will take on Hull KR at Old Trafford.

Wigan Warriors' roster includes players like Jai Field, Abbas Miski, Adam Keighran, Jake Wardle, Liam Marshall, Bevan French, Harry Smith, Ethan Havard, Kruise Leeming, Luke Thompson, Junior Nsemba, Sam Walters, and Kaide Ellis.

Substitutes: Liam Byrne, Patrick Mago, Tyler Dupree, Tom Forber.

18th Player: Zach Eckersley Zach Eckersley is the 18th player on the roster.

Attempts: Marshall (11 minutes, 38 minutes), Walters (19 minutes, 42 minutes), French (60 minutes), Field (76 minutes)

Sin Bin: Dupree (79th minute)

Leigh Leopards: Matt Moylan, Zak Hardaker, Ricky Leutele, Umyla Hanley, Darnell McIntosh, Gareth O’Brien, Lachlan Lam, Tom Amone, Edwin Ipape, Robbie Mulhern, Oliver Holmes, Jack Hughes, and John Asiata.

Substitutes: Matt Davis, Owen Trout, Brad Dwyer, Aaron Pene.

Player 18: Keanan Brand.