Warriors Academy nil Newcastle

  • Match Report as Wigan Warriors Academy ease past Newcastle Thunder Academy in Season opener.
  • The Warriors Academy start their 2023 season with a big win whilst keeping a clean sheet.
  • FT | Wigan Warriors 102-0 Newcastle Thunder.

Wigan Warriors Academy started their 2023 campaign with a huge victory against Newcastle Thunder Academy at Robin Park Arena on Saturday afternoon.

Wigan Warriors Academy started their 2023 season in the best possible way as they ran in 18-unanswered tries in an astonishing 102-0 win over Newcastle Thunder Academy on Saturday afternoon.

WATCH AGAIN: See the full match on Wigan TV.

Maddox Jeffery opened the scoring after just two minutes of play as Farrimond kicked a ball over the top which bounced nicely back into the hands of Jeffery to ease over, converted by Farrimond for 6-0.

Despite the early score, there was a stale period for the following 10 minutes as both teams battled hard, with Newcastle close to getting over for their first, a late shot from Wigan’s Lukas Mason saw the second rower sent to the sin bin as Wigan were down to 12 men.

Wigan extended their lead in the 16th minute as Tom Ratchford sped out of the back of the play the ball to race through a gap and score close to the sticks, again Farrimond added the extras for 12-0. Just moments later, Wigan back on the attack played through the middle to see Taylor Kerr get an offload before a final offload to Kian McDermott allowed him to stroll through the defence and crash under the uprights, a third conversion for Farrimond took the score to 18-0.

Almost immediately, Wigan were in again as McDermott made a good break before sending Farrimond into space and over for the fourth try of the afternoon, the half converted his own effort for 24-0. The fifth effort of the afternoon came following a period of pressure for the Thunder side but from the turnover Wigan were back on the attack as Ratchford weaved his way around the Newcastle defence, turning them inside out and going over for another score close to the uprights, converted by Farrimond to make it 30-0.

The last act of the half saw Wigan over for a sixth score, as quick hands found Maddox Jeffery away down the right wing to get the ball down in the corner, unconverted from Farrimond the half time score was 34-0 in Wigan’s favour.

Wigan started the half just as well as the first as Dylan Kelly-Duffy added to the score in Wigan’s first set of the second period, the interchange crashing onto a ball to go over, Farrimond added the extras once more to register 40-0.

Two more tries followed in quick succession and Nathan Lowe and George O’Loughlin added their name to the list of scorers, both adding the footwork to extend Wigan’s advantage and both converted by Farrimond as the score hit 52-0.

Farrimond crossed again in the 49th minute as he added the pace on the right wing to dot the ball down in the corner, leaving himself a difficult kick from the touchline, the conversion attempt was just wide as Wigan held the 56-0 lead. Tom Ratchford then registered his hat-trick just past the 50 minute mark as he fooled the defence with his footwork once more.

The scoring was relentless from the Warriors as interchange Harry Higham was the next to add to the tally as he collected a kick through to the right corner and despite Newcastle’s best efforts to keep him out, an outstretched arm saw him get the ball down to confirm the score. Another difficult conversion attempt from the touchline couldn’t be added but Wigan were 66-0 up.

Again Wigan added three more tries in quick succession as Dylan Kelly-Duffy broke the line in his own half to race away and score under the sticks, full-back Noah Hodkinson got in on the act before Tom Ratchford added his fourth of the afternoon with a nice link-up in the middle with Jack Farrimond. Farrimond converted all three scores and it was 84-0.

Lukas Mason became Wigan’s tenth different scorer on the day as he flew onto a pass to dart through the defensive line and over the try line for Wigan’s 16th score of the day, Farrimond made it 90-0 from close range with the final 10 minutes approaching.

Wigan rounded off a substantial win in the opening round with two more scores before full time. Maddox Jeffery registered his hat-trick on 73 minutes with Wigan carving open space down the left channel. Taking over kicking duties, Nathan Lowe made it 96-0.

Nathan Lowe got the last four-pointer, supporting an offload play in the centre of the field. He converted his own try and Wigan confirmed the 102-0 victory.

Gallery:

Wigan Warriors Academy: Noah Hodkinson, Maddox Jeffery, Harrison Dean, Nathan Lowe, George O’Loughlin, Charlie Yeomans, Jack Farrimond, Ryan Brown, Tom Ratchford, Kian McDermott, Joshua Cartwright, Lukas Mason, Taylor Kerr.

Interchange: Harry Higham, Dylan Kelly-Duffy, Trent Kelly-Duffy, Kalum Rathbone.

Tries: Jeffery (2’, 37’, 73’), Ratchford (16’, 34’, 51’, 60’), McDermott (19’), Farrimond (21’, 49’), D.Kelly-Duffy (41’, 56’), Lowe (43’, 76’), O’loughlin (46’), Higham (54’), Hodkinson (58’), Mason (66’).

Goals: Farrimond 13/16, Lowe 2/2

Sin Bin: Mason (12’)

Newcastle Thunder Academy: Joe Bradley, Thomas Luke, Cam Cullen, James Snowden, Leo Bradley, Dylan Bragg, Ollie Shaw, Harry Lowery, Alfie Gray, Flynn Bolton, Oli Breeze, Jacob Rennison, Tom Siddle.

Interchange: Tom Stringer, Osian Bodman, Ryan King, Matty Handy.

Sunday 12 March 2023