1997 Wigan Warriors season
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| 1997 Wigan Warriors season | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Super League II | 4th | |||
| Play-off result | Won Premiership Final | |||
| Challenge Cup | 4th round | |||
| 1997 record | Wins: 14; Draws: 0; Losses: 8 | |||
| Points scored | For: 683; Against: 398 | |||
| Team information | ||||
| Stadium | Central Park | |||
|
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The 1997 Wigan Warriors season was the 102nd season in the club's rugby league history and the second season in the Super League. Coached by Eric Hughes, the Warriors competed in Super League II and finished in 4th place, but went on to win the Premiership Final at Old Trafford against St Helens. The club also competed in the 1997 Challenge Cup, and were knocked out in the fourth round by St Helens.
Table
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Bradford Bulls |
22 | 20 | 0 | 2 | 769 | 397 | +372 | 40 |
| 2 | London Broncos | 22 | 15 | 3 | 4 | 616 | 418 | +198 | 33 |
| 3 | 16x16px St. Helens | 22 | 14 | 1 | 7 | 592 | 506 | +86 | 29 |
| 4 | 16x16px Wigan Warriors | 22 | 14 | 0 | 8 | 683 | 398 | +285 | 28 |
| 5 | 16px Leeds Rhinos | 22 | 13 | 1 | 8 | 544 | 463 | +81 | 27 |
| 6 |  Salford Reds |
22 | 11 | 0 | 11 | 428 | 495 | -67 | 22 |
| 7 |  Halifax Blue Sox |
22 | 8 | 2 | 12 | 524 | 549 | -49 | 18 |
| 8 |  Sheffield Eagles |
22 | 9 | 0 | 13 | 415 | 574 | -159 | 18 |
| 9 | 16x16px Warrington Wolves | 22 | 8 | 0 | 14 | 437 | 647 | -210 | 16 |
| 10 | 16px Castleford Tigers | 22 | 5 | 2 | 15 | 334 | 515 | -181 | 12 |
| 11 | Paris Saint-Germain | 22 | 6 | 0 | 16 | 362 | 572 | -210 | 12 |
| 12 |  Oldham Bears |
22 | 4 | 1 | 17 | 461 | 631 | -170 | 9 |
| Champions | Relegated |
Squad
Players marked * left the club during the season.
| No | Player |
|---|---|
| 1 | Kris Radlinski |
| 2 | Jason Robinson |
| 3 | Va'aiga Tuigamala * |
| 4 | Gary Connolly |
| 5 | Rob Smyth |
| 6 | Henry Paul |
| 7 | Shaun Edwards * |
| 8 | Neil Cowie |
| 9 | Mick Cassidy |
| 10 | Terry O'Connor |
| 11 | Simon Haughton |
| 13 | Andy Farrell |
| 14 | Craig Murdock |
| 15 | Andy Johnson |
| 16 | Danny Ellison |
| 17 | Stephen Holgate |
| 18 | Stuart Lester |
| 20 | Nigel Wright |
| 21 | Daryl Cardiss |
| 22 | Paul Johnson |
| 23 | Ian Sherratt |
| 24 | Sean Long * |
| 25 | Gaël Tallec |
| 26 | Doc Murray |
| 27 | Martin Hall |
| 28 | Paul Koloi |
| 29 | Lee Hansen |
| 30 | Tony Smith |
| 31 | Ian Talbot |
| 32 | Neil Baynes |
| 33 | Lee Gilmour |
| 34 | Jon Clarke |
Transfers
In
| Player | Pos | From | Fee | Date | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tony Smith | Scrum half | Castleford Tigers | £150,000 | March 1997 | |
| Lee Hansen | Prop forward | Widnes Vikings | Exchange | April 1997 | |
| Paul Koloi | Centre | Canterbury Cardinals | May 1997 | ||
| Denis Betts | Second-row | Auckland Warriors | May 1997 | ||
| Tony Mestrov | Prop forward | London Broncos | November 1997 | ||
| Mark Bell | Winger | St. George Dragons | November 1997 | ||
| Robbie McCormack | Hooker | Hunter Mariners | November 1997 | ||
| Danny Moore | Centre | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles | December 1997 |
Out
| Player | Pos | To | Fee | Date | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kelvin Skerrett | Prop forward | Halifax | Free | January 1997 | |
| Va'aiga Tuigamala | Centre | Newcastle Falcons | £500,000 | February 1997 | |
| Shaun Edwards | Scrum half | London Broncos | Undisclosed | March 1997 | |
| Sean Long | Scrum half | Widnes Vikings | Exchange | April 1997 | |
| Matthew Knowles | Widnes Vikings | Exchange | April 1997 |
