For Peet’s sake, show Super League more respect
MATT PEET says it is time to give the Super League more respect after Wigan became the second straight English side to win the World Club Challenge. Peet’s Warriors upset NRL premiers Penrith Panthers at a sold-out DW Stadium on Saturday, emulating their North-West rivals St Helens who stunned the Aussies in their own backyard last year.
It is the first time Super League clubs have become back-to-back World Club Challenge champions since winning five between 2004 and 2008. The NRL is widely seen as a far superior league with more money and TV viewers but Peet believes we should start trumpeting our own game more. ‘The NRL is unbelievable, it’s got so much going for it, but we have got a competition as well,’ said Peet, whose side have matched Sydney Roosters’ record with five World Club Challenge titles. ‘We know what we have in this country and we should take more pride in it. We talk too much about what they think of us, but we should just concern ourselves with what we think of ourselves. ‘I am proud to be a rugby league man. I am proud of rugby league in the North West. We shouldn’t shy away from what we are. We are rugby league people who represent working-class people. ‘We admire the NRL but we have a special competition ourselves with some special individuals.’ Wigan have won the Challenge Cup, League Leaders’ Shield, Grand Final and World Club Challenge since Peet took charge in October 2021. But Peet added: ‘The players have done it, I haven’t. You can be a good coach but if you don’t have good players you don’t get much success.
‘It was a special night but who is to say we can’t have more like that. The thought of that being our last big night is horrendous.’