O’Neill: Can’t quite believe it
- Brad O’Neill described the ‘special’ feeling of winning the Betfred World Club Challenge in front of a sold out DW Stadium.
- O’Neill: “It’s not sunk in just yet but I’m sure it will do in a couple more days – I still can’t quite believe it.”
- Watch match highlights and more reaction on Wigan TV HERE.
Brad O’Neill described the ‘special’ feeling of winning the betfred world club challenge in front of a sold out dw stadium.
Reflecting on Wigan’s 16-12 victory over Penrith Panthers at the DW Stadium, O’Neill said: “It’s not sunk in just yet but I’m sure it will in a couple more days – I still can’t quite believe it.
“I enjoyed watching the match back and remembering just how tough and physical it was. I’m glad we could get the job done.”
O’Neill completed the most tackles [48] for the Warriors on Saturday night, and speaking on the toughness of the clash against the NRL premiers, he said: “It was all about doing what you had to do to win – so that involved tackling anything that came in front of me.
“Penrith are a big physical pack with some great ball carriers so it was important our defence as a team was at its best.”
On playing in front of a sold out DW Stadium, O’Neill said: “It was pretty special walking out in front of such an incredible atmosphere. You don’t get the chance to play in those big games very often which made Saturday night even more special that we were able to make and share those memories with our fans.”
O’Neill made his 50th appearance for the Warriors in the win, and on hitting the milestone, he said: “I’m really proud to have worn the shirt 50 times for this Club. It’s been an incredible couple of years so far with some massive wins in massive games – I cannot wait to continue.”
Expressing his motivation for the season ahead, O’Neill said: “Our desire is to keep playing in these big games but its important we continue to build and improve in order to reach them. We’ve all had a taste of it now which has created a real hunger for more.”
The Warriors return to Betfred Super League action on Friday night against Huddersfield Giants, and with match tickets reduced to £5, supporters are encouraged to celebrate with the World Champions at the DW Stadium.
Looking ahead to the clash against the Giants, O’Neill said: “We’ve got to jump straight back on the horse and go again against a physical Huddersfield side. The celebrations were short, but everybody is back ready to attack the rest of the season.”
More information on how you can celebrate with the World Champions on Friday night can be found HERE.