# 2021 Wigan Warriors season

The 2021 season will be Wigan Warriors's 41st consecutive season playing in England's top division of rugby league. During the season, they will compete in the Super League XXVI and the 2021 Challenge Cup.

## Preseason friendlies

On 4 March, Wigan announced a pre-season friendly against Salford Red Devils ahead of the delay start to the Super League.
| Date and Time | Versus | H/A | Venue | Result | Score | Tries | Goals | Attendance | Report |
| 14 March, 16:00 | Salford Red Devils | A | AJ Bell Stadium | L | 6–20 | Sam Powell | Zak Hardaker | Played behind closed doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic. | |

## Super League
### Regular season

The start of the 2021 Super League season, which ordinarily would have started in late January, was delayed to March due to the continuation of the COVID-19 pandemic. On 11 February it was confirmed that match week one would commence on Friday 26 March, with Wigan Warriors facing newly promoted local rivals Leigh Centurions in the second fixture of the round. The full fixture list was announced on 26 February.

#### Matches

Win Draw Loss  Postponed
| Date and Time | MW | Versus | H/A | Venue | Result | Score | Tries | Goals | Attendance | TV | Report |
| 26 March, 20:15 | 1 | Leigh Centurions | N | Emerald Headingley | W | 20–18 | Bibby (2), Hardaker, Bullock | Hardaker (2) | Played behind closed doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic. | Sky Sports | |
| 1 April, 18:00 | 2 | Wakefield Trinity | N | Totally Wicked Stadium | W | 34–6 | Partington, Bibby (3), Hardaker, Bateman | Hardaker (5) | Played behind closed doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic. | Sky Sports | |
| 15 April, 19:45 | 3 | Leeds Rhinos | A | Emerald Headingley | W | 19–6 | Farrell (2), Hardaker, Hastings | Hardaker Drop-goals: Hardaker | Played behind closed doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic. | Sky Sports | |
| 22 April, 18:00 | 4 | Castleford Tigers | H | DW Stadium | W | 22–12 | Hardaker, French (2), Powell | Hardaker (3) | Played behind closed doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic. | Our League | |
| 29 April, 19:45 | 5 | Hull F.C. | H | DW Stadium | W | 16–14 | Hastings, Farrell, Bibby | Hardaker (2) | Played behind closed doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic. | Sky Sports | |
| 17 May, 19:45 | 6 | Leigh Centurions | A | Leigh Sports Village | W | 30–16 | Smith, Manfredi, French, Farrell, Bibby (2) | Smith (3) | ~4,000 | Our League | |
| 22 May, 13:00 | 7 | Salford Red Devils | A | AJ Bell Stadium | W | 17–16 | Singleton (2), Farrell | Smith (2) Drop-goals: Hastings | ~4,000 | | |
| 29 May, 17:00 | 8 | Catalans Dragons | A | Stade Gilbert Brutus | L | 0–48 | | | 1,000 | Sky Sports | |
| 11 June, 19:45 | 9 | Huddersfield Giants | A | Kirklees Stadium | Postponed due to positive COVID-19 cases within the Huddersfield squad. | Postponed due to positive COVID-19 cases within the Huddersfield squad. | Postponed due to positive COVID-19 cases within the Huddersfield squad. | Postponed due to positive COVID-19 cases within the Huddersfield squad. | Postponed due to positive COVID-19 cases within the Huddersfield squad. | Postponed due to positive COVID-19 cases within the Huddersfield squad. | Postponed due to positive COVID-19 cases within the Huddersfield squad. |
| 18 June, 19:45 | 10 | Hull KR | H | DW Stadium | L | 8–18 | Gildart (2) | | ~4,000 | | |
| 24 June, 19:45 | 11 | Wakefield Trinity | A | Mobile Rocket Stadium | L | 6–14 | Hanley | Smith | ~4,000 | | |
| 30 June, 19:45 | 12 | Warrington Wolves | H | DW Stadium | L | 14–40 | Powell, Isa, Gildart | Smith | ~4,000 | Sky Sports | |
| 4 July, 19:30 | 13 | St Helens | A | Totally Wicked Stadium | L | 6–24 | Farrell | Smith | ~4,000 | Sky Sports | |
| 11 July, 15:00 | 14 | Huddersfield Giants | H | DW Stadium | W | 16–12 | Marshall, Clark, Smith | Smith (2) | ~4,000 | | |
| 16 July, 19:45 | 9 | Huddersfield Giants | A | Kirklees Stadium | W | 14–12 | Clark, Farrell | Smith (3) | ~4,000 | | |
| 23 July, 19:45 | 15 | Wakefield Trinity | H | DW Stadium | W | 25–12 | Bibby (3), Shorrocks, Marshall | Smith (2) Drop-goals: Hastings | 5,555 | | |
| 28 July, 19:45 | 16 | Warrington Wolves | A | Halliwell Jones Stadium | L | 8–21 | Marshall (2) | | 8,014 | Sky Sports | |
| 1 August, 15:00 | 17 | Leigh Centurions | H | DW Stadium | W | 50–6 | Leuluai, Hanley (3), Farrell (2), Halsall, Shorrocks, Hastings | Smith (7) | 9,206 | | |
| 6 August, 19:45 | 18 | Salford Red Devils | H | DW Stadium | W | 16–6 | Halsall, Powell | Smith (4) | 9,431 | | |
| 13 August, 19:45 | 19 | Hull KR | A | Hull College Craven Park | L | 14–26 | Marshall, Bibby (2) | Smith | 6,230 | Sky Sports | |
| 20 August, 19:45 | 20 | St Helens | H | DW Stadium | L | 2–26 | | Smith | 16,390 | Sky Sports | |
| 25 August, 19:45 | 21 | Leeds Rhinos | H | DW Stadium | L | 0–14 | | | 11,390 | Sky Sports | |
| 30 August, 17:00 | 22 | Castleford Tigers | A | Mend-A-Hose Jungle | W | 22–0 | Hastings, Marshall, Gildart, Singleton | Smith (3) | | Sky Sports | |
| 5 September, 15:15 | 23 | Warrington Wolves | N | St James' Park | L | 6–10 | Havard | Smith | 25,762 | Sky Sports | |
| 10 September, 15:00 | 24 | Hull F.C. | A | KCOM Stadium | W | 10–0 | Bibby, Hardaker | Hardaker | | | |
| 17 September, 19:45 | 25 | Catalans Dragons | H | DW Stadium | W | 12–8 | Isa, McDonnell | Hardaker (2) | 12,852 | | |

#### League table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PP | Pts | PCT | Qualification |
| 1 | Catalans Dragons (L) | 23 | 19 | 0 | 4 | 688 | 398 | 172.9 | 38 | 82.61 | Semi-final |
| 2 | St. Helens (C) | 21 | 16 | 0 | 5 | 548 | 229 | 239.3 | 32 | 76.19 | Semi-final |
| 3 | Warrington Wolves | 21 | 15 | 1 | 5 | 588 | 354 | 166.1 | 31 | 73.81 | Elimination Semi-finals |
| 4 | Wigan Warriors | 25 | 15 | 0 | 10 | 387 | 385 | 100.5 | 30 | 60.00 | Elimination Semi-finals |
| 5 | Leeds Rhinos | 24 | 13 | 0 | 11 | 556 | 440 | 126.4 | 26 | 54.17 | Elimination Semi-finals |
| 6 | Hull Kingston Rovers | 20 | 10 | 0 | 10 | 497 | 458 | 108.5 | 20 | 50.00 | Elimination Semi-finals |
| 7 | Castleford Tigers | 23 | 11 | 0 | 12 | 437 | 552 | 79.2 | 22 | 47.83 | |
| 8 | Hull FC | 21 | 8 | 1 | 12 | 409 | 476 | 85.9 | 17 | 40.48 | |
| 9 | Huddersfield Giants | 24 | 9 | 0 | 15 | 460 | 516 | 89.1 | 18 | 37.50 | |
| 10 | Wakefield Trinity | 24 | 9 | 0 | 15 | 482 | 548 | 88.0 | 18 | 37.50 | |
| 11 | Salford Red Devils | 22 | 7 | 0 | 15 | 402 | 584 | 68.8 | 14 | 31.82 | |
| 12 | Leigh Centurions (R) | 22 | 2 | 0 | 20 | 356 | 870 | 40.9 | 4 | 9.09 | Relegated to the Championship |
* ↑ Teams must have played at least 70% of scheduled fixtures to qualify for the play-offs.

### Play-offs

| Date and Time | Round | Versus | H/A | Venue | Result | Score | Tries | Goals | Attendance | TV | Report |
| 23 September, 19:45 | Elimination Play-off | Leeds Rhinos | H | DW Stadium | L | 0–8 | | | 7,396 | Sky Sports | |

## Challenge Cup

| Date and Time | Round | Versus | H/A/N | Venue | Result | Score | Tries | Goals | Attendance | TV | Report |
| 9 April, 19:45 | Round 3 | York City Knights | A | York Community Stadium | W | 26–0 | Hardaker, Smith, Halsall, Hanley, Clubb | Hardaker (3) | Played behind closed doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic. | The Sportsman | |
| 8 May, 14:30 | Quarter Finals | Hull F.C. | N | Emerald Headingley | L | 10–20 | Bibby, Manfredi | Smith | Played behind closed doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic. | BBC Two | |

## Transfers
### Gains

| Player | Club | Contract | Date |
| John Bateman | Canberra Raiders | 4 Years | July 2020 |
| Jai Field | Parramatta Eels | 2 Years | November 2020 |

### Losses

| Player | Club | Contract | Date |
| Sean O'Loughlin | Retired | Retired | November 2020 |
| Craig Mullen | Leigh Centurions | 1 Year | November 2020 |
| Ben Flower | Leigh Centurions | | December 2020 |
| Joe Burgess | Salford Red Devils | 3 years | December 2020 |
| Jack Wells | Salford Red Devils | | December 2020 |
| Jake Shorrocks | Newcastle Thunder | | December 2020 |
| Nathan Wilde | Newcastle Thunder | | December 2020 |
| Max Roberts | Oldham Roughyeds | | December 2020 |
| James Barran | Oldham Roughyeds | | December 2020 |
| Joe Greenwood | Huddersfield Giants | 2 years | December 2020 |
| Chris Hankinson | London Broncos | 1 Year Loan | December 2020 |
| George Burgess | Released | Released | February 2021 |