2019-2020 - When Attending Became Virtual

The blog backlog began back in Aug 2019 when that season began to reach the play-off stages and with the detail needed to catch-up fully, a summary followed by a return to full coverage if/when the 2021 season begins seems like a good idea. 

Usually the main title is a copy or similar one to the Wigan Warriors season ticket slogan for that year but at it stands, renewal hasn't begun so the title of An Attending Return in 2021' will do for now. 

Returning to 2019, I attended the WSL Grand Final for a second consecutive year where Leeds Rhinos Women overcame League Leading side Castleford Tigers Women at St Helens' Totally Wicked Stadium. The evening was a surreal one for the fact I was surrounded by the Catalans Dragons Women's side also known as the Déesses Catalanes. 

The Super League season saw my interests end at the semi-final stage with Wigan Warriors outclassed by a Salford Red Devils side who went onto lose out in the Grand Final to St Helens. There was one trophy success though as the Warriors Academy retained their title with a 22-10 win over St Helens at the DW Stadium. The final attendance of the year was a surprise one with a visit to Wigan St Judes to see the GB Women's Teachers against the Armed Forces.

2020 can be defined by the phrase of a few seasons back' Every Minute Matters' as the final one of the entire season proved crucial but I will come back to that. A season that would be historic due to the debut of Toronto Wolfpack in the Super League who I saw face Wigan in the early rounds and a memory I cherish due to their sad demise later in the year. Wigan began the season well but a cold night at the AJ Bell Stadium on Friday 13 March, saw a 14-2 lead slip to lose 18-14 to Salford and on exiting the stadium, I said 'Hope the next one sees an improvement'.

Such a wish didn't come true for a long time as the UK went into lockdown and attendances and sport itself went on indefinite hold, worse was the fact that the Women's season didn't even have the chance to start with the opening weekend planned a week after the lockdown came into effect and Academy and Scholarship seasons also never really got going.

Action returned in August with a partial return to attending in the form of the featured cut-out and Wigan among other sides had a mixed period in the restart but did well to come out on top in claiming the League Leaders Shield, an event that was hard to watch sat at home having seen every Wigan trophy win since 2012's LLS/GF double. 

A loss to Leeds in the Challenge Cup Semi-Final meant no Wembley be it TV or physical but they went one better in the Super League by reaching the Grand Final against St Helens, 10 years after my first SLGF which saw the same face-off, this time sadly viewed from home and a heart-breaking one. Saints came from behind in the final seconds winning via Jack Welsby's try after Tommy Makinson's kick hit the bar and saw Bevan French unable to deny the score as Welsbly touched down for an 8-4 success. 

Hopefully, the 2021 season sees Wigan go that one better in both competitions and a goal is to be at both events if possible, the lack of attending in 2020 meant a donation of ST funds and the option I chose means in the coming months a Fan Appreciation shirt will arrive so I will be posting images of that before covering the season ahead, fingers crossed!