Burgess predicts few points when Giants visit Wigan
Wigan winger Joe Burgess is expecting Thursday’s night semi-final against Huddersfield to be tight, defensive-minded game with few points scored.
The Giants travel to the DW Stadium to try and book their place in the grand final. The Warriors will be going for their third Old Trafford appearance in a row with a win over the Yorkshire club, after a win over Warrington in 2013 and a loss to St Helens last year.
Wigan and Huddersfield have met three times already this season, with the Warriors winners in all three matches.
Shaun Wane’s men have prevailed twice at home and once way with margins of eight points twice and 14 points once. Burgess believes it will be a difficult encounter again.
“It’ll be a tough, tight game,” said Burgess.
“I don’t think it will be a big score to be honest. It will be a low-scoring. We are the best two defences in the Super League so it will be tough.”
Wigan has the meanest defence in the competition, conceding 530 points over 30 matches for an average of 17.6 points per game, while Huddersfield has let in just four points more with 534.
Remarkably, the Warriors have not lost at home in Super League this season. The side’s only loss in 2015 at the DW Stadium came against the Brisbane Broncos in the World Club Series, in February, and that was only through a penalty.
Burgess said maintaining that winning streak on home turf is one of the squad’s goals.
“It is always on our mind,” he admitted.
“We really want to keep the record, it’s some record to keep. We’ve not lost in Super League since last year so we don’t want to spoil that.”
Burgess was named in the 2015 Dream Team on Monday along with Wigan teammate Liam Farrell.
It was the first time the 20-year old, who is joining the Sydney Roosters in the NRL next year, has been selected in the Dream Team.
Burgess has scored 23 tries this season, third highest in Super League behind Jermaine McGillvary with 27 and Tom Lineham with 25.
He was pleased to get the nod, with Warriors winger Josh Charnley named in the 2013 team.
“It’s my wingers who are always challenging for it,” he said.
“I didn’t really think about it too much. Until the past few weeks people kept asking me if I thought I would get in it. I didn’t really think anything of it to be honest but I’m quite happy with this achievement.”