Chester up four more
JOE BURGESS scored a sparkling hat-trick as Wigan’s resurgence under Adrian Lam gathered pace with a demolition of “disgraceful” Catalans.
Winger Burgess notched the first tries since his return from a year-long knee injury, helping the Warriors record back-toback wins for the first time this season.
With Jarrod Sammut and Zak Hardaker (right) producing their best performances in a Wigan shirt and Oliver Gildart outstanding alongside Burgess, it produced a nightmare first return to the DW Stadium for Sam Tomkins.
His coach Steve McNamara blasted the Dragons’ toothless effort after the game, with his side the lowest scorers in Super League and having been nilled twice in a month despite an expensively-assembled squad.
Lam, though, is starting to see his squad take his ideas on board after their own difficult start to the campaign, despite the absence of a host of firstchoice players.
He said: “I learned a lot in this first six weeks, and sometimes in adversity you focus on the little things that can help you.
“We’ve still got a lot of work to do and we’re not where we wanted to be at this stage, but that was certainly a positive.
“And I still think we’re going to get bet- ter.”
Chairman
Ian Lenagan used the club programme to promise fans “the clarity they deserve” over the Shaun Edwards circus once the Wales RU defensive coach makes a decision on his future. But if the Warriors continue to make strides under Lam that will be less of an issue for the club.
After a dogged first half that yielded only Burgess’ opening try and two Hardaker goals, Wigan put the Dragons to the sword in style after the break. Sammut, Liam Paisley and Gildart combined for
LBurgess’ second, before Gildart broke from deep to send George Williams racing under the posts.
Gildart then scored his own long-range interception and Burgess completed his treble by stealing the ball from Matt Whitley as Catalans crumbled.
Hardaker split the Dragons defence and brushed off his predecessor at full-back, Tomkins, on his way to the line.
Sammut completed the rout, stepping past a host of defenders in the final minute.
Catalans coach McNamara said: ”We were completely beaten in every department by a team that was really hungry and energetic.
“We were exactly the opposite – we put in a disgraceful performance.
“There was clearly a problem with our attitude – it wasn’t good enough.”
FWAKEFIELD moved into Super League’s top four for the first time this year but head coach Chris Chester isn’t getting carried away.
“It’s nice to be up there but we are not looking at the table,” insisted Chester.
“We still need to find some consistency. We did a lot of good things in the first half but there were plenty in the second that we need to rectify.”
Veteran Danny Brough kicked 13 points in Trinity’s fourth win of the campaign with tries coming from giant forwards, David Fifita and Pauli Pauli plus Ryan Hampshire, Reece Lyne and Jacob Miller.
A Jackson Hastings’ inspired Red Devils revival yielded 12 points in three minutes after trailing 30-10.
Coach Ian Watson admitted: “We keep showing we can do it when we stick to the processes and complete our sets.
“We need to start with that same mentality.”