Wigan Warriors and Brisbane Broncos met at the DW Stadium for the second of the three match World Club Series with the northern hemisphere trailing 1-0 after last nights' win for St George Illawara over the Warrington Wolves.

Almost twenty-one thousand had gathered to witness the latest instalment in the long Wigan v. Brisbane history, and they would be richly rewarded with a game of grit and determination which would require ten minutes of 'golden point' extra time to settle.

The Warriors were without their skipper Sean O'Loughlin but were marginal favourites with the bookies to beat a Broncos side still preparing for the start of the NRL season. All indications were that it would be a close one, but no-one was prepared for what would unfold on a night of rugby that was definitely not one for the purists.

Played on what was starting to resemble a ploughed field, it was a defensive mistake from Joe Burgess which gifted the Broncos with the dream start. On six minutes Burgess lost the ball in the tackle as he attempted a kick return, right in front of his sticks and only ten metres out. The ball was picked up by McCullough and grounded under the sticks giving Parker the easiest of conversions.

Wigan went close on sixteen when Burgess was held up over the line but on twenty-four the scores were level thanks to a George Williams kick through which was collected by Liam Farrell and grounded with the heel of his hand. Referee Bentham consulted the video officials but they agreed with the initial 'TRY' decision.

As the sides changed ends it was all to play for.

The first score of the second half took fifteen minutes to register and it was all down to Warriors indiscipline, this time Dan Sarginson at fault for holding back. A quick tap and Brisbane moved the ball through six pairs of hands before Lachlan Maranta went over in the left corner. Parker missed adding the extras.

On sixty-seven a Bateman block off the ball enabled Parker to make amends with a two pointer and as the Broncos defended for all they were worth it looked like they would hold on for the win.

With seconds left on the clock Joe Burgess made amends for his earlier mistakes by breaking for fifty metres, exchanging passes with George Williams, and improving the angle to enable Matty Smith to kick a simple goal to level the scores and take the game to a golden point decider.

The Broncos had the upper hand for most of the extra period but Hunt failed with two attempted drop goals. Wigan's only attempt was from an impossible distance.

With seconds of the first period left Joel Tomkins put in a high shot and gifted Parker the winning goal, taken twice after Gelling attempted a charge down which saw him sin-binned.

This was another great game of honest rugby league played in far than ideal conditions. Wigan weren't going to throw the towel in and all credit to them for their fight back, but in the end it was a couple of silly mistakes and some indiscipline which handed the game to the Broncos.

The series was won by the NRL, tomorrow night will see who are the World Club Champions.

Wigan: Bowen, Charnley, Gelling, Sarginson, Burgess, Williams, Smith, Crosby, McIlorum, Sutton, Tomkins J., Farrell, Bateman. Subs: Clubb, Tautai, Tomkins L., Patrick.

Brisbane: Kahu, Vidot, Whitchurch, Hodges, Maranta, Milford, Hunt, McGuire, McCullough, Blair, Glenn, Thaiday, Parker. Subs: Dodds, Gavet, Ofahengaue, Nikorima

Referee: Phil Bentham
Attendance: 20,842