Karl Pryce reveals the reasons behind Wigan Warriors sudden success in 2010

In the 1980s and 1990s Wigan were the ultra dominant force in rugby league and went on to start Super League with success winning the inaugural Grand Final and contesting Grand Finals in 2000, 2001 and 2003.

But in 2005, struggles started to rise. They battled against relegation in 2005 and 2006 and were a long way from the Grand Final in the years that followed.

Then in 2010 the arrival of a new coach took them from sixth in 2009 to Champions in 2010.

However, according to a member of the squad at that time, it wasn’t just the arrival of Michael Maguire as coach which changed things but a former Bradford Bulls man.

“I was injured when I first signed for Wigan. It was tough because Wigan are known as, even when I played for Bradford, you knew they were a big big club. It’s a huge club,” Karl Pryce told Serious About Rugby League.

“They demand success when I got there, there hadn’t been much success and there was pressure.

“You could see from the players there that they could do something special.

“It just took Michael Maguire and the signing of Paul Deacon, I think the only signing we made going into 2010, them and Shaun Wane and they just took us to a new level.

“That was all it was: new ideas, a new identity of how we wanted to play.

“Michael Maguire drilled it into us that we were a special team and it all came together 2010.”

He also went on to explain what separates Wigan, Leeds and St Helens:

“It comes down to culture. When you’re at a top end club, Wigan, Leeds, Saints it’s all about culture, they all have top end cultures.

“At Wigan the culture ran right from the top to the bottom. It was about being as professional at possible at training and everything you do and I’m guessing it is very similar there and I know Leeds is very similar.

“It starts from scholarship all the way to first team which is why they always stay around the top three or four clubs.

“For me it’s all about culture. You start with culture. You need talent, you need the best of both.

“A strong culture will set you on the right path. If you’re a six out of 10 performer, but you change the culture of the club they become a 7 or an 8 out of 10.

“If you have a good culture, you have successful team and will win more games than you lose.”