Matty Peet and Liam Farrell along with Benjamin Garcia and Steve McNamara meet the media ahead of the Super League Grand Final on Saturday.
Category
🥇
SportsTranscript
00:00 Liam, I guess Sam's obviously played a big part in this build-up,
00:04 but I guess it was inevitable, wasn't it, that it was going to come to this?
00:07 Wigan-Catalan, you against Sam, given all your respective histories.
00:11 Yeah, I think for a very long time he's been an outstanding player.
00:17 He deserves to go in the Grand Final.
00:20 I think he's shown how much he's an unbelievable player across his career.
00:28 Like I say, he deserves to go out in the Grand Final,
00:31 but at the same time, we'll show him ultimate respect by giving him the best of us.
00:36 What does Sam bring to the club?
00:41 What's it like playing with Sam and how determined are you to help him go out on a high?
00:47 I think he just changed the club, the way he is, not only on the field.
00:52 He brings his culture of winning,
00:56 and he just shows how he trains.
01:00 He's a top guy, he's a professional,
01:04 so I think a lot of young players from the club are inspired from him.
01:10 Steve, there's been a lot in the week leading up to the semi-final,
01:17 and this week as well about Mitchell Pearce and the injury that he's been nursing.
01:21 Is he likely to play over the weekend?
01:24 Yeah.
01:25 How difficult has this been for him to get right?
01:30 No, he's been fine, he's in a great spot, he's in a great place.
01:34 The bit of damage caused at the Salford game,
01:38 we were fortunate to have the week off after that,
01:40 which gave him the opportunity to play in the semi-final,
01:42 and he's come through that far.
01:44 He's better this week than he was last week, and he's ready.
01:48 Just on the enormity of this game, and what's already been said about it,
01:53 but politically, within the Rugby League circle,
01:57 if you could win this game, what does it do for the future of France?
02:01 I know there's a little bit of competition and some tensions there at times,
02:06 but if you could win this competition, what would it do for the prospect?
02:11 Ben's probably in a better position to answer that.
02:14 As a Frenchman living there, as foreigners we've gone across there,
02:17 we've tried to embed ourselves in their culture and do the best that we possibly can.
02:22 There's a lot of talk around this game, quite rightly so,
02:26 with Sam and his connection with Wigan and his last game,
02:30 and everything he's done in the game.
02:32 But this game is about the French.
02:35 It's about Ben Garcia, Julian Busquets, Paul Seguer,
02:39 Arturo Mane, Alex Dacosta, Fouad Yaha.
02:42 Those boys are the backbone of our team, of our organisation.
02:47 They are, they genuinely are.
02:48 They're the heartbeat of our club.
02:50 I get all the talk around Sam and I would be doing the same in your position,
02:54 but in reality it's about France, it's about the French boys,
02:58 it's about everything they've committed to be the best that they can possibly be,
03:02 and the improvements that they've made.
03:04 They're the main reason why this club has made such a transition
03:09 from being an inconsistent team into a consistent team.
03:12 So I think if you take that into what would happen if we won the game,
03:17 and saw everything else, I think we'd have a big impact quite clearly on the game.
03:24 If I throw that question to you, what would it do for France
03:29 and some of the political tensions that there are within French rugby league
03:33 if Catalan were to win the Grand Final?
03:36 I think the club worked for many years to win this trophy,
03:40 to bring him back to France.
03:43 As you can see last week, we have really passionate fans.
03:49 It's hard for them to come here, but we know we have many fans who support.
03:58 So, no, just for, as Steve said, for French rugby league,
04:02 it will be massive for the kids, for everyone in France.
04:07 Steve, when you took the job, how high a priority was it for you
04:12 to establish that back-fold of French talent?
04:15 I think we had to try and win first.
04:19 I don't think it was right at the top.
04:22 We knew we had some good French players there.
04:24 We needed to develop more.
04:27 I think, as Ben said earlier on, we probably set some examples,
04:30 or tried to set some examples of what needed to be done
04:33 to reach the standards that some of the other clubs in the competition
04:36 have achieved.
04:37 We weren't there, but that's what I'm saying about Sam is good,
04:43 he's brought some standards, Michael McElroy and some of the other players
04:46 that we've brought in, but our French players are as professional
04:49 as any players you'll see in the competition right now.
04:52 Our young French players coming through and following the example
04:55 of the senior French players, Sam Tompkins, etc.
04:58 That is why it's been good to see that grow and develop.
05:02 We're young as an organisation, we haven't got the rich history,
05:05 we haven't got the 100-odd years that the Wigan Warriors have.
05:09 We actually borrowed a couple of their players off them in terms of Sam
05:13 and Micky and some of the traits that their club has been embedded in.
05:17 It's been embedded in their club for a number of years,
05:19 and they've helped the coaching staff and our senior French players
05:23 really help that blossom and grow.
05:25 Just following on from what Steve said there,
05:27 how much does the weight of history of what Wigan have done over the years
05:31 weigh on you as a coach now?
05:34 It certainly doesn't weigh.
05:36 If anything, as Steve mentioned, you reflect on it and learn,
05:41 and you take lessons from it.
05:43 Players like Sam and Micky are players that I've watched and learned from
05:48 as a coach through my time, but you can look back even further than that.
05:52 The traits of winning organisations and winning teams,
05:56 and some of the losing teams as well.
05:58 There's a lot to pick from and learn.
06:01 Some of it from the outstanding players, as you mentioned,
06:04 but also some of the less famous players and the players that work behind the scenes.
06:08 There's a lot of knowledge there and experience.
06:12 One thing I try and do, and the players do, is tap into it.
06:16 Ethan Abbow, is he fit for Saturday?
06:21 Yeah, he's fit.
06:22 How much of a boost is he driving back?
06:24 Would it be a risk to play?
06:26 I think there's always some risk attached when a player returns from injury,
06:29 but there's no way we would be putting him in there
06:32 if he hadn't gone through all the relevant checks.
06:35 He's trained fully this week, high speed, he's done all the physios,
06:40 he's well-versed at bringing lads back from injury,
06:43 so he's ready to go.
06:45 How good do you think Ethan could be?
06:47 Long-term?
06:48 Yeah.
06:49 It's a funny question, he's played international rugby now,
06:54 he's got the physicality, he's got the attitude,
06:59 he's got a level of head on his shoulders.
07:03 It's difficult to put a ceiling on it,
07:07 but he's got a lot to like,
07:11 and he's already played a decent level for 22,
07:15 he played earlier on in the year in the Test match,
07:18 he's had some good performances.
07:20 What Ethan will be looking to do in the coming season is have outstanding seasons,
07:25 and that's how you become a real top player.
07:28 If you knew him as a kid, like we do,
07:31 you'd feel like the level's pretty high that he can get to.
07:34 You won the Champions Cup last season,
07:37 your first season in charge,
07:39 would this be even bigger potentially if you were to win a Super League title?
07:43 Yeah, I'd say it would.
07:47 To win this trophy at the end of the year.
07:50 The Times Cup was an outstanding feeling for the club,
07:53 but you end up finishing the year on a bit of a sower note.
07:57 So I think to get to a grand final and compete against an outstanding team
08:02 is another step in the right direction.
08:05 It probably shows a bit more consistency,
08:09 and that's probably what every club and every coach is looking for.
08:15 You've been around the players and everything,
08:18 but as a coach, how proud would you be as a Wigan lad as well, walking out there?
08:22 Yeah, I'd be proud. Really proud.
08:26 I'm proud of the group we've got.
08:28 I'm proud of the lads, proud of the team, proud of the club.
08:34 So for me to get the privilege of walking out beside Faz,
08:39 it's quite humbling actually.
08:42 Steve, what would it mean for you personally to get this title as a head coach?
08:47 Personally, nothing. It's about the group, it's about the team,
08:52 it's about everything we're trying to achieve.
08:54 The coach is a part of that team.
08:57 Of course, he gets to sit in front of the cameras and do all that,
09:01 that's the job that we do,
09:03 but everybody who's involved in team sports understands the work that goes into it
09:08 from an incredible number of individuals.
09:11 People who actually work for the club, employed by the club,
09:13 some volunteers, everybody around it.
09:15 So when you get an opportunity to play in a game like this, it's for everybody.
09:19 I get the question, I understand the question in a personal bit there,
09:22 but for me it's about the team.
09:24 The team on the field, the team behind the team,
09:26 which is the coaching and the football staff,
09:29 and the team behind that team even, which is your administration staff as well.
09:32 And for a team that logistically has to do so much work and travel,
09:36 we rely so, so much on all parts of our organisation
09:40 to get us in the right place and to give us the best opportunity of being successful.
09:44 So it will mean a lot for everybody involved in our organisation.
09:48 Lion, has he been in much contact with your mates in France this week?
09:51 A little bit, yeah.
09:55 I spoke to Sam Fry after the officer there got the win.
09:59 I told him he'd still got it.
10:01 And then he gave me a cheeky text back on the Saturday as well,
10:06 and just said, "We look forward to seeing you until the next week."
10:08 Not spoke to Mickey.
10:10 Doesn't give you many words, Mickey.
10:12 But yeah, I'm looking forward to coming up against them.
10:16 They're both ultimate competitors.
10:18 And yeah, we know what we're getting from them,
10:20 so we're going to have to more than match that.
10:22 Has Sam always had that competitive edge,
10:24 even when he was younger, coming through at Wigan, maybe?
10:27 I think it's bred into a lot of young lads at Wigan, that.
10:32 I think Sam stands out with it,
10:34 but yeah, it's something that's bred into you when you're younger at Wigan
10:37 and you're brought through and you want to win, you want to compete.
10:40 He was definitely one of the main ones for that.
10:43 Is he one of those who wants to compete in everything, even away from rugby?
10:46 That is what I was thinking, that's even whatever he does.
10:49 Yeah, you could say so, yeah.
10:51 Steve, I think you're no longer serving coach until you've played by some distance now.
10:56 When you took that job, do you think you'd be in charge for this long,
10:59 six and a half years away or whatever?
11:01 I don't think anybody who gets a job in sport and head coach
11:05 probably envisages how long you'd be in charge.
11:08 It's a club that's really suited me, I think I've suited the club,
11:14 and that's why it's worked for this period of time.
11:17 It's been really enjoyable doing it,
11:19 and I'm grateful I worked for a boss in Bairnard who...
11:23 I remember we said it's a £5 million game,
11:27 and then the next season I think we'd won one out of six, one out of seven,
11:32 we got a game cancelled, it was Leeds away because of the snow.
11:35 He asked us to go up to the mountains and I couldn't see him.
11:39 With the head of performance and head of physio we thought,
11:41 "Oh, what's going to happen here?"
11:43 And he just gives the assurance,
11:45 "We like what you're doing, keep doing it, don't flinch, don't break,
11:48 keep doing what you're doing for our organisation."
11:50 So when you work for somebody like that, who's as loyal as that,
11:53 if you keep doing the right things you'll be loyal back,
11:55 so I'm grateful that I work for somebody like that and for a great club.
12:00 There's some unbelievable talent on both teams, right across the park.
12:03 Is this the best Catalan's team you've had in your time?
12:06 We'll see.
12:08 We'll see.
12:10 We've had a pretty good one a couple of years ago.
12:13 What we lacked a couple of years ago was playing good in the grand finals,
12:18 not good enough.
12:19 We played good, we actually probably played very good,
12:21 but a very good one wasn't good enough.
12:23 To win a grand final you've got to be excellent,
12:26 you've got to be outstanding, you've got to be at the top of your game.
12:28 You see it the week before, you probably saw Brisbane, Penrith,
12:33 Brisbane were outstanding, but that wasn't good enough to win a grand final,
12:37 so we've learnt so much.
12:38 So we'll see how good we are tomorrow,
12:40 sorry, tomorrow on Saturday, the day early.
12:43 We'll see what happens on Saturday, but one versus two
12:47 is the right final this year for this competition.
12:50 In my opinion, both our teams deserve to be there
12:53 because of the seasons that we've had.
12:56 It'll be a great game on Saturday, I'm sure.
12:58 Just to finally, do you think that emotion around Tom Kidd's last game,
13:03 Mitch Pearce, some of the lads who were leaving,
13:06 and obviously Davidson McElroy playing against them,
13:09 do you think that added to the emotion and motivation in your cap?
13:13 From your side, without a doubt.
13:16 From our side, inside, no, it's not something that's really spoke about.
13:19 The players aren't really interested in timely,
13:21 about speaking too much about it.
13:23 It was last training sessions today for those players
13:26 and all the bits that go with it,
13:28 but everything just carries on as normal.
13:30 They're both just really fixated on playing well at the top of the game on Saturday,
13:37 and then we'll speak about them and talk about them
13:40 and wish them all well afterwards rather than before.
13:43 Steve, obviously a lot was talked about on the field,
13:48 what you might change from the grand final two years ago.
13:51 Anything off it, changing in terms of what you learnt from the process?
13:55 Yes, I think as most teams will do, they evolve and change
14:00 as seasons go on and the experiences that you get.
14:04 The way we train and the days we train has changed,
14:07 where we're staying has changed, when we've arrived has changed,
14:11 what we'll do tomorrow has slightly changed.
14:13 We learnt some really good things from it.
14:15 Like I said, we came and did a very good job two years ago,
14:19 but the very good job won't be enough to win the trophy.
14:22 So we need to be better, and I think as a team we've evolved,
14:25 we've changed personnel, we've changed our style slightly,
14:28 and that's part and parcel of what every coach tries to do with their team.
14:33 How do you compare the challenge that you're facing now
14:37 to the one that may have been faced previously?
14:39 I think it's exactly the same.
14:41 That year, us against Saints, if I remember rightly, it was one versus two.
14:45 It's one versus two this year, we're not playing a team that's made a late run
14:50 and chased it, like Leeds were last year.
14:53 It's the two best teams in the competition.
14:55 I know it's good and exciting sometimes when something else changes,
15:00 but these seasons are gruelling, they are tough, tough seasons.
15:04 For me, on merit, both teams get to go out there on Saturday night,
15:09 and we've had some really good games against them this year.
15:12 One where we've come out on top, and one where they've come out on top.
15:17 Here we go again, let's go.
15:19 Steve, did French Rugby League mean this?
15:24 You touched a bit about politics earlier,
15:26 but I'm thinking about five months when France lost the World Cup.
15:30 I spoke to Sam then, and he said,
15:32 "I just hope this doesn't damage the upward trajectory of the sport in France."
15:36 It doesn't look like it has, because by Sunday night you could be champions
15:39 and Toulouse could be in trouble.
15:41 I think if they'd continued on the path of doing the World Cup
15:44 and then made a mess of it, that would have created a bigger problem
15:47 and then cancelled it.
15:48 Sometimes you've got to make that tough decision,
15:50 which isn't great at the time, which isn't popular at the time,
15:53 and puts a little bit of embarrassment on your game.
15:56 But if you continue to go down the path and you're not going to be able to achieve it,
15:59 that's worse.
16:01 So I think doing that was a brave decision, the right decision.
16:04 We're carrying the flag in some regards at the minute for the French Rugby League,
16:10 and we're happy to do that, as are Toulouse there as well.
16:13 We've got two teams now, one in the Grand Final Saturday night
16:17 and one in a match there to get back into the Super League.
16:21 So from that side of things, things are going well.
16:23 The World Cup's not in France, clearly, it's a huge animal across there,
16:27 but we're all on our own right now.
16:29 Ben, how much does it mean for the...
16:33 You've seen the efforts that the club have put in,
16:35 they've chartered five planes,
16:37 I think even the League One is cancelled this weekend.
16:40 How much does that support mean to the players?
16:43 We know we have really passionate fans.
16:47 Like last week, it was a good atmosphere, it was crazy.
16:53 The storage room was pretty full.
16:56 So we know it's hard to come, it's expensive.
17:06 But we know we have a lot of support in France,
17:09 they delayed every game in France at the Rugby League on the weekend,
17:13 so we know we have a lot of support.
17:16 Ben, obviously you were the captain two years ago in the Boskett,
17:23 has that changed your approach at all to Saturday and back your mind?
17:27 Has anything changed or is it all business as usual?
17:29 I think two years ago it was a bit new,
17:34 first time for me to come here.
17:36 It's not my language, so sometimes I'm not good enough,
17:41 but I try my best.
17:43 I think it was just a new thing, but now it's more familiar.
17:49 Not familiar, but I've been here before, so it's easier.
17:52 Matt, finals are always emotional for players,
17:58 how are your players managing this side of the game,
18:00 especially with Sam's return?
18:03 I think things like Sam are probably important at the end of the game,
18:09 it doesn't really affect our emotions at all.
18:12 We're just trying as best we can to approach it like any other game.
18:20 There's things around the game, like today and being in the hotel the night before the game,
18:25 but come kick-off time we're up against a fantastic team,
18:29 the game will be super intense.
18:32 As far as emotion, it won't be too different to last week or the previous week.
18:37 It feels like about 80-90% of the questions have been for Steve and Ben,
18:45 so any final questions for our winging contingent before we wrap this one up?
18:52 Matt, you've come into this game in excellent form,
18:56 is it just a case of carrying on doing what you've been doing
18:59 or do tactics have to change when you're playing a team like Atletic?
19:02 It's probably a bit of both.
19:04 We're very aware this is going to be the most intense game of the year,
19:08 and that's the challenge, to do some of the things you're talking about,
19:12 that we're doing well, under extreme pressure,
19:15 against a physical team, a skilful team, in a big arena.
19:22 Matt, is there a potential for any tough conversation to have with someone
19:25 who won in a semi-final, if you even have that, to come back in the Seventeen?
19:28 That conversation has been had, so yeah.
19:31 How did it go?
19:32 Fine, yeah.
19:34 Like most weeks, as long as you're honest, that's the job.
19:40 Matt, you've got quite a young squad, you've released your squad earlier on today,
19:47 do you feel like it's up to the older lads to carry them through
19:50 with any nerves they might have ahead of a massive game like there is on Saturday?
19:54 A little bit, but again, that's a constant, we've had that squad most of the year.
19:58 It is something coming into this game,
20:02 we've got lads who haven't played here before, haven't played a grand final before,
20:05 but that can be a strength as well, that energy and vibrancy,
20:10 freshness, excitement, it's what the best teams have, is balance.
20:15 (beep)
20:17 [BLANK_AUDIO]