2007 Wigan Warriors season

The Wigan Warriors played in the Super League and Challenge Cup in the 2007 season.

2007 Wigan Warriors season
Super League XII Rank6th
Play-off resultLost in Elimination Final
Challenge CupSemi-finals
2007 recordWins: 18; draws: 1; losses: 12
Points scoredFor: 621; against: 527
Team information
StadiumJJB Stadium
Top scorers
TriesTrent Barrett (18)
PointsPat Richards (320)
← 2006 List of seasons 2008 →

Season preview

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2006 was a poor season for Wigan finishing 8th overall in the Super League but for most of the season they were battling with relegation. In 2007 Wigan will look to avoid another season like 2006, many players from the 2006 squad have left Wigan and been replaced by players such as Trent Barrett, Phil Bailey and Thomas Leuluai who will be important members of the 2007 Wigan squad. Players like Stuart Fielden and Chris Ashton who has impressive season in 2006 will be looking to continue their form in 2007 and some young academy player such as Darrell Goulding, Paul Prescott and Michael McIlorum will be looking to break into the first team in 2007. Wigan start the season with a tough home fixture against Warrington Wolves. Wigan will play local rivals St. Helens 4 times during the regular season including a match in Cardiff's Millennium Stadium.

Fixtures and results

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Round Opponent Result Wigan Oppo Date Venue Crowd Competition
N Huddersfield Giants Lost 22 24 21 January 2007 Galpharm Stadium 3,960 Friendly
N Salford City Reds Won 20 15 31 January 2007 The Willows 2,902 Friendly
N Whitehaven Lost 0 30 4 February 2007 Recreation Ground Friendly
1 Warrington Wolves Lost 10 16 9 February 2007 JJB Stadium 21,693 Super League XII
2 Catalans Dragons Won 18 16 17 February 2007 Gilbert Brutus 7,052 Super League XII
3 Bradford Bulls Lost 28 32 24 February 2007 Grattan Stadium 12,798 Super League XII
4 Hull Kingston Rovers Lost 16 26 2 March 2007 JJB Stadium 15,178 Super League XII
5 Harlequins RL Won 16 12 9 March 2007 JJB Stadium 14,971 Super League XII
6 Salford City Reds Won 25 6 16 March 2007 The Willows 6,025 Super League XII
7 Hull F.C. Won 30 20 23 March 2007 KC Stadium 12,755 Super League XII
CC4 Widnes Vikings Won 34 24 1 April 2007 Halton Stadium 6,006 Rugby League Challenge Cup
8 St. Helens Lost 14 32 6 April 2007 JJB Stadium 24,028 Super League XII
9 Leeds Rhinos Won 20 18 10 April 2007 Headingley Stadium 16,465 Super League XII
10 Huddersfield Giants Lost 16 41 15 April 2007 Galpharm Stadium 7,170 Super League XII
11 Wakefield Trinity Wildcats Won 44 10 20 April 2007 JJB Stadium 14,108 Super League XII
12 Salford City Reds Won 50 24 27 April 2007 The Willows 6,603 Super League XII
13 St. Helens Lost 18 34 5 May 2007 Millennium Stadium 32,384 Super League XII
CC5 Leeds Rhinos Won 22 18 12 May 2007 Headingley Stadium 8,982 Rugby League Challenge Cup
14 Hull Kingston Rovers Lost 10 12 18 May 2007 JJB Stadium 13,538 Super League XII
15 Hull F.C. Won 47 16 26 May 2007 JJB Stadium 14,314 Super League XII
16 Harlequins RL Lost 8 18 2 June 2007 Twickenham Stoop 5,657 Super League XII
CCQF Harlequins RL Won 25 6 8 June 2007 JJB Stadium 10,835 Rugby League Challenge Cup
17 Catalans Dragons Won 30 0 15 June 2007 JJB Stadium 12,641 Super League XII
18 Wakefield Trinity Wildcats Lost 6 32 1 July 2007 Belle Vue 8,126 Super League XII
19 Bradford Bulls Won 25 18 6 July 2007 JJB Stadium 15,107 Super League XII
20 Leeds Rhinos Won 18 2 13 July 2007 JJB Stadium 14,544 Super League XII
21 St. Helens Lost 12 19 20 July 2007 Knowsley Road 14,293 Super League XII
CCSF Catalans Dragons Lost 24 36 29 July 2007 Halliwell Jones Stadium 10,218 Rugby League Challenge Cup
22 Warrington Wolves Lost 24 43 5 August 2007 Halliwell Jones Stadium 12,152 Super League XII
23 Huddersfield Giants Won 20 12 10 August 2007 JJB Stadium 12,744 Super League XII
24 Harlequins RL Draw 16 16 18 August 2007 Twickenham Stoop 3,200 Super League XII
25 Salford City Reds Won 40 16 31 August 2007 JJB Stadium 13,611 Super League XII
26 Hull Kingston Rovers Won 40 24 9 September 2007 Craven Park 7,370 Super League XII
27 St. Helens Won 20 12 14 September 2007 JJB Stadium 22,036 Super League XII
Bradford Bulls Won 31 30 21 September 2007 Grattan Stadium 9,055 Super League XII Play-offs
Hull F.C. Won 21 18 29 September 2007 KC Stadium 16,291 Super League XII Play-offs
Leeds Rhinos Lost 6 36 5 October 2007 Headingley Stadium 16,112 Super League XII Play-offs

↑ Wigan Warriors only played a second grade squad against Whitehaven, mostly made up of players from the Wigan Warriors Academy.

League table

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Final League Table

Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts Qualification
1   St Helens (L) 27 19 0 8 783 422 +361 38 Semifinal
2   Leeds Rhinos (C) 27 18 1 8 747 487 +260 37
3   Bradford Bulls 27 17 1 9 778 560 +218 33[a] Elimination semifinal
4   Hull F.C. 27 14 2 11 573 553 +20 30
5   Huddersfield Giants 27 13 1 13 638 543 +95 27
6   Wigan Warriors 27 15 1 11 621 527 +94 27[b]
7   Warrington Wolves 27 13 0 14 693 736 −43 26
8   Wakefield Trinity Wildcats 27 11 1 15 596 714 −118 23
9   Harlequins 27 10 3 14 495 636 −141 23
10   Catalans Dragons 27 10 1 16 570 685 −115 21
11   Hull Kingston Rovers 27 10 0 17 491 723 −232 20
12   Salford City Reds (R) 27 6 1 20 475 874 −399 13 Relegation to National League One
Source: Rugby League Project
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Points difference; 3) Number of points scored;
(C) Champions; (L) League Leaders' Shield Winners; (R) Relegated
Notes:
  1. ^ Bradford deducted 2 points for salary cap breaches.
  2. ^ Wigan deducted 4 points for salary cap breaches.

 

Wigan Warriors round by round progress during the 2007 Super League season

2007 Full squad

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Number Player Position Previous club
1 Chris Ashton1 Fullback Wigan Warriors Academy
2 Mark Calderwood Winger Leeds Rhinos
3 Phil Bailey Centre Cronulla Sharks
4 Michael Withers1 Centre Bradford Bulls
5 Pat Richards Winger Wests Tigers
6 Trent Barrett Stand Off St George Illawarra Dragons
7 Thomas Leuluai Scrum-half Harlequins RL
8 Stuart Fielden Prop forward Bradford Bulls
9 Mickey Higham Hooker Bradford Bulls
10 Iafeta Paleaaesina Prop forward New Zealand Warriors
11 Gareth Hock Second Rower Wigan Warriors Academy
12 Bryan Fletcher Second Rower South Sydney Rabbitohs
13 Sean O'Loughlin Loose forward Wigan Warriors Academy
14 David Vaealiki Centre Parramatta Eels
16 Shane Millard Hooker Leeds Rhinos
18 Paul Prescott Prop forward Wigan Warriors Academy
19 Harrison Hansen Second Rower Wigan Warriors Academy
20 Darrell Goulding Centre Wigan Warriors Academy
21 Danny Hill Second Rower Hull
22 Joel Tomkins Second Rower Wigan Warriors Academy
23 Liam Colbon Winger Wigan Warriors Academy
24 Eamon O'Carroll Prop forward Wigan Warriors Academy
25 Michael McIlorum Hooker Wigan Warriors Academy
26 Thomas Coyle Scrum-half Wigan Warriors Academy
27 Sean Gleeson1 Centre Wigan Warriors Academy
28 Mark Flanagan Stand Off Bradford Bulls

1 Denotes a player who left Wigan Warriors during 2007. For more information see Transfers Section

Transfers

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Transfer for 2007 (In)

Name Transferred from Fee Date signed
Phil Bailey Cronulla Sharks Free Transfer May 2006
Trent Barrett St George Illawarra Dragons Free Transfer May 2006
Thomas Leuluai Harlequins RL Free Transfer December 2006
Shane Millard Leeds Rhinos Free Transfer December 2006
Michael Withers Bradford Bulls Free Transfer December 2006
Mark Flanagan Bradford Bulls £10,900 January 2007

Transfer for 2007 (Out)

Name Transferred to Fee Date released
Brett Dallas Retired September 2006
Michael Dobson Canberra Raiders Return From Loan September 2006
Wayne Godwin Hull Free Transfer September 2006
Scott Logan Canberra Raiders Free Transfer September 2006
Chris Melling Harlequins RL Free Transfer September 2006
Oliver Wilkes Widnes Vikings Free Transfer September 2006
Bryn Hargreaves St. Helens Released October 2006
Danny Sculthorpe Wakefield Trinity Wildcats Released October 2006
Danny Tickle Hull Free Transfer October 2006
Danny Orr Harlequins RL Free Transfer October 2006
Nathan McAvoy Bradford Bulls Released February 2007
Sean Gleeson Wakefield Trinity Wildcats Released May 2007
Michael Withers Retired June 2007
Chris Ashton[1] Northampton Saints Released August 2007

2007 Loans (Out)

Name Loan to Loan started Loan ended
Sean Gleeson Huddersfield Giants February 2007 April 2007
Danny Hill Hull Kingston Rovers April 2007 May 2007
Joel Tomkins Widnes Vikings August 2007 Current

Club personnel 2008

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President – Peter Higginbottom Life Members – Joe Egan, Billy Blan, Johnny Lawrenson

DIRECTORS

Owner and chairman – Ian Lenagan (as from 1 December 2007) company secretary – Paul Wright

RUGBY

Head Coach – Brian Noble Assistant Coach – Phil Veivers

References

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  1. ^ "Ashton handed early Wigan release". BBC Sport. 20 August 2007.
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