The 5 key moments in Wigan’s win over Leigh including ‘controversial’ ref call and ‘Super League’s best player’

Wigan Warriors will walk out at the Super League Grand Final again next weekend after overcoming a valiant effort from Leigh Leopards to book their place at Old Trafford.

The Warriors were far from their best, and had to put up with a spirited Leopards side who were bidding to reach the Grand Final for the first time. But in the end, they had too much in the crucial moments, and were 18-6 victors.

Here are the big moments from the game – and where the Warriors arguably won it.

Wigan’s early patience

Patience does not often get discussed as a key metric, trait or characteristic in rugby league – but try asking any of the big coaches whether or not it matters and see what they say.

Wigan were swimming against the tide somewhat inside that opening quarter and you felt that Leigh simply had to score to make their early dominance count. However, what the Warriors do so well is hold firm in moments like these and refuse to panic.

Then, when they sense an opening, they often strike – which is a lot easier when you have players like Jai Field and Bevan French in your side, admittedly. Wigan don’t panic, they don’t get carried away: they hang tough when they need to and take their chances when they are presented. That was crucial here.

The referee’s call ruling

However, there’s a fair argument Leigh could – and perhaps should – have had something to show for that early dominance at the Brick on Friday evening when Owen Trout appeared to be desperately close to scoring.

In the end, it wasn’t the defensive effort of Harry Smith, or Trout himself, that was crucial: it was the on-field referee’s call. With Chris Kendall calling it no try, it left video referee Tom Grant with nowhere to go. He had no evidence to overturn the call. Had it gone up as a try, it would have been given. If there was no referee’s call.. well, that is a whole other debate.

You wonder whether the ruling – not because of this moment, more in general – will be looked at in the off-season.

The Owen Trout break

Or more specifically, Field’s absolutely unbelievable tackle to stop the forward in the midway point of the second half.

Had it been anyone else other than Trout, it might have been a different outcome. But in this moment, Field proved why he is truly sensational with another showing of Wigan’s big players delivering in the big moments.

Harry Smith’s kicking game

It wasn’t quite as good in the second half, but in the week that Shaun Wane told Love Rugby League he wants to see his England hopefuls deliver their best in the biggest games, you suspect Harry Smith did himself no harm of a start in the opening Ashes Test.

While Wigan were on the back foot, it was Smith’s long-range kicking that often got them out of real trouble. His kick was influential in giving the Warriors defence the time to get up on Bailey Hodgson too, which led to Hodgson spilling the ball and French collecting to score the opening try.

There are often questions about Wigan’s scrum-half externally, but this was a night that showed why he is rated so highly internally.

Bevan French’s mere presence

Is there a big game when Wigan’s number six simply doesn’t do anything that tilts the balance emphatically the way of his side? Time and time again, when the Warriors need something, it is French – and also Field, to his credit – who is there to pluck a rabbit from the hat.

The debate about Super League’s best player is surely not really a thing. Because the gold standard wears number six for the reigning champions.