There has been no shortage of drama this year at Wigan Warriors, in keeping, perhaps, with the theatre impresario background of Ian Lenagan, the club's chairman. Wigan are 80 minutes from an unlikely Grand Final appearance in 12 days' time, a 50-26 demolition of Catalans Dragons in the elimination semi-final coming seven weeks after Lenagan had launched into an extraordinary point-by-point criticism of the team at a fans' forum.

Lenagan pulled no punches in outlining what he saw as several serious deficiencies, among them a lack of pride in performance and leadership on the field after a 34-4 hiding by Huddersfield Giants that had endangered Wigan's play-off prospects. The future of Brian Noble, the coach, was assured, even if he disagreed with his chairman's public outburst, which included specific reference to the form of the departing Trent Barrett, the former Australia stand-off.

If it did not endear Lenagan to players and coaching staff, his intervention was the cue for a remarkable revival by the team generally and Barrett, specifically, in wanting to leave on a high. No one had a broader smile than Lenagan in the trophy room at Stade Gilbert Brutus on Saturday evening. “I had to say something because the fans were saying it,” he said. “I wasn't saying the team weren't trying, but it looked like they weren't. I took some flak from the players, but their response has been fantastic.”

A bruised and battered Wigan caved in to Leeds Rhinos in last year's final eliminator, but for Friday's rematch, with a place against St Helens in the Grand Final at stake, the Warriors, significantly, have the momentum and only George Carmont, the centre, is a doubt with a dead leg. “It's important you don't listen to the press and keep stable,” Noble said. “It's not unusual for a perceived lack of effort and fitness among a lot of teams, but we've been going in the right direction these last few weeks. That's down to the application of the players.”

Catalans were roared on by a 10,000 crowd shoehorned into their small ground and, having fought back to make it 20-20 with tries by Olivier Elima and Justin Murphy in the 50th and 56th minutes respectively, the sense of expectation was dashed by Pat Richards's second try. With Barrett pulling the strings and touching down twice and Mick Higham especially effective at hooker, Wigan were an unstoppable force in ending Catalans' play-offs odyssey, including a further brace of tries by Mark Calderwood and a barnstorming score by the irrepressible Gareth Hock.