Frustrated Wigan Warriors coach Shaun Wane was unhappy despite a comfortable win at Bradford Bulls keeping his side top of the Super League table.
The Warriors ran in five converted tries, including a Liam Farrell hat-trick, to take a commanding lead into the break but only managed one more before the Bulls grabbed a consolation score.
And Wigan’s second half display disappointed Wane, who called on his side to be more clinical.
“Six apiece in the second half has taken a piece of the joy away from me,” said Wane.
“We’re not really playing the way I want yet and if we’d have been a bit more ruthless in the second half we’d have been quite close to it.
“We’re doing some good things but just not often enough for me.”
Farrell’s hat-trick was the highlight of a dominant first-half display by the visitors, with Jack Hughes and Blake Green also scoring and Pat Richards converting all five tries.
Sam Tomkins then latched onto a Matty Smith kick two minutes after the break to stretch Wigan’s lead, with Richards maintaining his 100% kicking record to add the extras.
Bradford’s Jarrod Sammut clawed a similar try back on 53 minutes in a tight second half however, before scoring the conversion to add some respectability to the score.
Wane – who welcomed five players back from injury – singled Farrell out for praise but admitted the back-rower could still improve his defensive game.
“I rate him like I rate Chris Tuson and Harrison Hansen. We have some good back rowers,” he said.
“The consistency to his game is outstanding and he is a great lad but I don’t think his defence has been outstanding. With the ball in hand he is great though.
“We need to work on his defence and that is what we are looking to improve at the moment. He has a lot of improvement in him and I’m very happy with where we are at the minute.”
Wane also played down suggestions prop Lee Mossop would be leaving the club despite suggestions he is a target for NRL side Parramatta Eels.
Mossop – who returned from a six-game absence after a shoulder injury – was reportedly watched by the Eels’ recruitment manager Peter Nolan but Wane denied any knowledge of the rumours.
“I didn’t know that,” he said. “Parramatta would be impressed if they did watch him. He did really well.”
Image courtesy of Wigan Warriors, via Youtube, with thanks.
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