Australian stars help Wigan lift League Leaders’ shield
Jai Field enjoyed a fun day out as Wigan retained the League Leaders’ Shield by thrashing a much-changed Salford side 64-0 at the Brick Community Stadium.
Eleven tries from the Warriors cemented first place in the Super League, included a hat-trick from Field as well as two apiece from Liam Marshall, fellow Australian Bevan French and Kruise Leeming, while Adam Keighran kicked 10 conversions.
Matt Peet’s men advance to a home semi-final in two weeks against the lowest-ranked winner from the eliminator round as they pursue a second successive grand final triumph.
The shield takes Wigan’s trophy haul under Peet to six in three years, following their World Club Challenge and Challenge Cup successes earlier this year.
Salford, currently fourth, had already qualified for the play-offs, and their exact fate for next week’s eliminators – playing home or away and their opponents – will be determined on Friday when fifth-placed St Helens play at sixth-placed Leigh.
With progression to the knockouts secured with last Saturday’s 58-4 victory at Hull, Red Devils head coach Paul Rowley opted to rest players and name an 18 in which only Joe Bullock – the 18th man – was retained, with eight debutants included.
They soon found themselves torn apart by the hosts with Marshall and Field, the former St George Illawarra and Parramatta player, diving over in each corner.
Wigan established an early 12-0 lead, and the one-way traffic continued with further tries from ex-Eels star French and Zach Eckersley by the 22nd minute.
Salford subsequently managed to exert some proper pressure for the first time, only for an error to be pounced upon by Jake Wardle, who seized the loose ball and ran almost the full length of the field to notch Wigan’s fifth.
Having led 28-0 at the break, the Cherry and Whites took little time to extend the advantage further at the start of the second half, with Field crossing for his second two minutes in.
Two more tries arrived in quick succession around the hour mark, first with Marshall – registering his 27th of the Super League season – scoring in similar fashion to Wardle and Leeming then getting in on the act.
Eight minutes later, Leeming went over again to bring up Wigan’s half-century, moments after that they had a 10th try as Field completed his treble, and Bevan then wrapped things up in the final moments to cap a great day for the Australians.
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