‘Tough week to manage’ for Burgess as he seeks squad balance

PLAYING a Super League side a week before facing them in a Challenge Cup final is certainly a strange and awkward circumstance.

However, that pits Warrington Wolves and Wigan Warriors against each other this weekend – and Wire boss Sam Burgess admits this has been “a tough week to manage”.

The two neighbors lock horns at Wembley Stadium next weekend, but before then the Halliwell Jones Stadium hosts what is a crucial Super League meeting between the two on Saturday afternoon, with both sides part of a three-way tie at the top of the game . table next to St Helens.

As such, both Burgess and opposite Matt Peet have had to think hard about the teams they send in the 13th round, although a few decisions have been taken out of Burgess’s hands, with George Williams suspended and Joe Philbin injured.

The Wire boss admits not thinking about Wembley is “tricky” but insists the intensity of their approach to this week remains unchanged regardless of who takes to the field for his side.

“It’s a difficult week to manage but we’ve prepared for a good day,” he said at Wednesday’s pre-match press conference.

“Most weeks, I sit here and say we go into the week with the same kind of intensity and preparation, and that’s what we did.

“Whoever plays on Saturday will be in the contest and Warrington v Wigan is always a great occasion.

“I played in London in the league and then in the cup earlier in the year so I’ve been here before.

“It’s a funny circumstance, no doubt, but we’ll deal with it like we’ve done most things.

“It’s difficult not to think Wembley is coming, so you try to make selections and not put anyone under too much pressure leading up to it.

“We are also looking forward to the league challenge and will reassess things afterwards.”

Burgess is apparently planning to face the best Wigan have to offer on Saturday and if that proves to be the case, the Wire will certainly have their hands full.

Like them, the Warriors are on a four-game winning streak in all competitions and those games have seen them score 142 points and concede just 26.

However, Burgess feels there is a lot about his side that Peet and his players will have to take into account.

“They’ve got some dynamite players – Jake Wardle on the left wing, Bevan French and Jai Field as well,” he said.

“They have quality all over the pitch – Junior Nsemba has been a great find for them, then there is the experience of Faz (Liam Farrell), Liam Marshall on the wing and (Abbas) Miski has done well for them as well.

“If you start looking at their strengths, you look at the whole team. Unsurprisingly they are top of the table and in the cup final.

“I think we have a lot to offer as a team as well. We talk about the strengths they have, but if I was coaching against us it would be a fair preview.”

And the Wire are in great defensive form – in their four straight wins, they have conceded just 32 points.

Their work off the ball stood out in Perpignan at the weekend, despite being under intense pressure, with Burgess keen to pay tribute to the work of assistant coach Richard Marshall in this regard.

While fellow assistant Martin Gleeson was widely praised for his work with the team’s attack, Burgess pointed to Marshall’s “shadow work” to help keep the back door shut.

“Rich has been awesome — he’s a great guy to work with,” he said.

“He takes a lot of work out of my back and does a fantastic job with the middles.

“He’s a very experienced coach because he was at Halifax for a long time and then at Salford, so he’s been there and done that.

“He knows the ins and outs of being a head coach, so he takes a lot out of my office, which is good.

“Gleese gets a lot of pats on the back for attacking, but Rich does a lot of work in the shadows that may not be noticed but is just as important to success.”