Everything Matt Peet said after Wigan Warriors’ history-making Super League Grand Final triumph

Wigan Warriors coach Matt Peet met with the media in his post-match press conference following after his side completed a historic Grand Slam.

The Warriors beat Hull KR 9-2 in the Super League Grand Final at Old Trafford to become the first team in Super League history to win the quadruple in a single season – World Club Challenge, Challenge Cup, League Leaders’ Shield and Super League Grand Final.

Peet was asked about his side’s success, Rob Burrow Award winner Bevan French, the prospect of a World Club Challenge in 2025 and Sir Alex Ferguson’s role in their week.

Here’s the review and rundown of everything that Peet said in the Warriors debrief.

On having so much success so soon…

I don’t think you can envisage that. We won’t win every trophy that we compete for, and we accept that, but when your focus isn’t just on trophies, you’re alright with that.

We just concentrate on what we can learn, what we can improve on and how we can connect deeper as a team with the town and the community.

Hand on heart, you can ask any player and check any interview I’ve done, it’s always been about those things.

I’m really grateful we’ve had success off the back of that and won trophies, but our focus won’t change going forward.

We know we can improve and we can look after each other better on a daily basis. We’ll have good days and bad.

On comparisons to Wigan’s team in the 90s…

Truthfully no, (you can’t compare the two).

It’s nice to be asked and nice to be mentioned in the same breath, but we’ve got a few years to come yet.

It was a different era.

On Bevan French…

I love him to bits, and it’s easy to love him when he has those moments in the big games, but I see how he conducts himself on a daily basis.

I see what he does for people that can’t help him, I see how he helps the younger players and I see him as a person – him as a family man.

It’s all wrapped up into one, we have a laugh together and hopefully he knows that we care about him deeply as a club, I love him deeply as a lad.

On what won the match and Harry Smith…

Friendship and Harry (Smith)’s kicking game!

That defence comes down to the spirit between the lads and the connection between the group.

There are some fantastic players amongst that team, and Bevan deserves all the credit he gets, but I was sat there thinking, ‘when Harry Smith plays for this team, he puts the ball where it needs to be in big games.’

They were doing everything that we were doing to them, pressuring their kicks, but he justmkept making it a long way for them to come with the ball.

On the defence and not conceding a try for four games…

It means a lot if I’m honest, because I attach defence to team spirit and culture.

Bevan has his moments, he has that innate talent, but he’s also contributing to a defence where lads are turning up for one another.

Sean O’Loughlin deserves a hell of a lot of credit, and Tommy (Leuluai) equally. It helps when your attack coach is probably the best tackler that the club’s ever had.

Defence runs through everything that we do, and I think they looked like they were enjoying defending out there today.

Hull KR were moving the ball well, offloading and having second phase and we just continued to turn up for one another.

That’s why the defence makes me proud because I know there’s some system stuff and some techniques in there, but ultimately it comes down to how much you want to do it together.

On excitement for 2025…

Not one bit!

We’re going to have a rest, we’re going to leave it, let it sink in and reflect.

All of the other trophies we’ve won this year, we were always moving on pretty quickly.

I understand why you would ask that and I know at some point we’ll start thinking about that, but I just want the lads to be in the moment.

Tonight and tomorrow, they’ll have a laugh and tell each other they love one another when they’ve had a few drinks.

It’s important we all go out and re-energise and refresh. I want them to forget about rugby league for a little bit.

All of the other stuff will come when we’re refreshed and re-energised, and I’m sure we’ll all be wanting to do it all again.

We might not do it all again, but as long as we all enjoy our work and we’ve got the friendships we’ve got, you can’t catch no harm really.

On the prospect of a World Club Challenge in 2025…

No, I don’t think there will be (a World Club Challenge in 2025).

Anyone thinking about going to Las Vegas should get on board. I think Super League’s proven over the last few months that it’s an outstanding competition with some of the best players in the world.

I’m looking forward to going there with Warrington. We’re going there and playing there to promote Super League.

Just like the Grand Final and the Challenge Cup final, it should be a real showcase for Super League.

Vegas is one of the exciting things to look forward to, and there’s plenty more. Before we think about that though, we’ll enjoy tonight.”

On flying in Bevan French’s family as a surprise…

We had a film made for the semi-final to show the players the journey of the season with family messages.

The guys were on that, and Shannon (French’s uncle) sends Bevan these inspirational videos every so often where he pulls his game to pieces!

We quite often put them on in team meetings and they’re hilarious. The lads love it, it’s a real highlight of the week.

As we were walking out of the cinema having watched that film, Kris Radlinski (CEO) pulled me to one side and said, ‘I think we should bring them over’.

We reached out via our team manager, Tom Fitzpatrick, and made all of the logistical arrangements. Keeping it from Bevan was obviously a challenge, but real credit goes to Rads.

He gets what motivates players and inspires teams, he often comes up with these gestures and moments at the right time of the year.

His contribution to this is immeasurable really.

On Sir Alex Ferguson’s role…

Sir Alex presented all of the lads’ jerseys.

We reached out through a mutual friend. We just thought that we were on the verge of something similar to when (Manchester) United won the treble (in 1999).

Our challenge at the moment is continuing some decent success.

Playing at Old Trafford and with Sir Alex building careers by developing homegrown talent, with his mentality, we thought he’d be the perfect person.

Fortunately, we could make that happen and he was epic, as you can imagine.

You hung on every word he said, but it was more about his presence. I’ve never seen the lads so quiet.

Having a leader like that and a humble man like he was as well, you could hear a pin drop.