Wigan Warriors • Matty Peet

This is more of an off-season topic but I love these sorts of things. Firstly, I would look at who the competition is. This would be my shortlist.

Shaun Wane - 7 seasons in charge. 3 Grand Final wins, 1 League Leader's Shield, 1 WCC, 1 Challenge Cup. Also reached two more Grand Finals and one more Challenge Cup Final. Won the double in 2013. Under Wane Wigan were noted for defensive grit and a team that relied on mobility and stamina to wear the opposition down, rather than size and power, or flair and creativity. Wane’s teams were frequently criticised for being dull to watch, and this was a criticism that seemed to grow as his tenure lasted. Nevertheless, Wane achieved considerable success and did so with a team that was very much based around local talent, many of whom he had previously coached in the academy setup. The other question is how much of Wane’s success was owed to the foundation built by the previous coach, Michael Maguire, who was generally recognised as having transformed Wigan from also-rans to a genuine top-tier side. It cannot be ignored that Wane was part of that coaching setup as well, being Maguire’s assistant.

Michael Maguire – 2 seasons in charge. 1 Grand Final win, 1 League Leader’s Shield, 1 Challenge Cup. When Michael Maguire came to Wigan the club had gone five seasons without appearing in a final, seven without winning a trophy and ten seasons without being crowned champions, all things that would have been unthinkable at any point in the 1990s. Under previous coach Brian Noble the team had been regular, but unconvincing, play-off contenders. Without drastically changing the squad, Maguire led the team to a dominant championship in his first season. Wigan under Maguire were a well-drilled outfit, brutal and uncompromising in defence but able to unlock defences with skill and pace. Wigan followed their championship with a terrific Challenge Cup win, which saw them knock out holders Warrington in the quarter-finals, arch-rivals St Helens in the semis and finally defeat Leeds Rhinos in an excellent final. After that it was perhaps somewhat disappointing that they did not kick on and reach the Grand Final again.

John Monie – 6 seasons in charge, 1 spell of 4 years, 1 spell of 2. 5 Championships, including the inaugural Grand Final, 4 Challenge Cups, 1 WCC, numerous other trophies that would take too long to mention. In plain terms of trophies delivered, John Monie easily wins this competition. With four consecutive league and cup doubles, Monie stands alone as the most dominant coach in British rugby league history. The question that always dogs assessments of his reign is that of how much of his success was down to inheriting a team that was already the best in the competition. Monie’s second period in charge of the club was not as successful as his first, but still saw Wigan finish top of the league in 1998, after a couple of seasons off the top, reach the Challenge Cup Final and win the first ever Super League Grand Final. The recurring criticism of Monie’s initial run is that “anyone could have done it” but the truth is, “anyone” didn’t do it – he did.

Graham Lowe – 4 seasons in charge. 2 Championships, 3 Challenge Cups, 1 WCC, various other trophies. The way in which Graham Lowe laid the foundation for what John Monie achieved is somewhat similar to what Michael Maguire did before Shaun Wane took over. Before Lowe took over Wigan had finally ended a trophy drought dating back to the 1960s when they won the 84/85 Challenge Cup. However, it was Lowe who was to build that success from a one-off to a dynasty. He brought in top players from his native New Zealand, who would go on to become club legends, and he began the 8 in a row Challenge Cups that is the most famous winning streak in rugby league history.

Jim Sullivan – 20 (!) years in charge. 5 Championships, 2 Challenge Cups. Player coach from 1932, Jim Sullivan’s era is obviously hard to compare to later ones, but he absolutely belongs in any discussion of Wigan’s greatest coach. Jim had already led Wigan to one championship as captain and coach before he retired from playing in 1946 and focused solely on coaching. Between then and leaving the club in 1952 he then won another 4 championships as well as 2 Challenge Cups, making Wigan indisputably the dominant force of the era. He then went on to similar success at St Helens, taking them from a relatively mediocre club to a true top side and making sure that the Wigan-Saints rivalry would become one of the great British sporting rivalries.

So, while I think Matt Peet has already put himself very much on this list, I definitely think it is still too early to say that he has surpassed all of these men. For me, Monie remains the best. He took what was undeniably a great team but transformed them into a relentless winning machine that may never be matched. I would say Lowe and Sullivan follow close behind. Maguire’s impact on the club can’t be denied but two seasons is just not enough to quite put him in the same bracket as the others on this list, in my opinion.