Abbas Miski delivers fitness update as Warriors winger takes positives from 'different' pre-season

The 28-year-old winger suffered an MCL injury during the 10-2 Grand Final triumph over Catalans Dragons last October, leaving him in a protective boot during part of the off-season.

He returned to Australia during his recovery process before reporting back for pre-season training last December at Robin Park Arena.

Miski explained: “Obviously winning the Grand Final was a big thing and made for a happy off-season. Unfortunately, I injured my MCL during the game, so I was in a boot. I couldn’t really move around much, but it was good to go back home and spend time with my family.

“I came back to Wigan a bit later, I got a bit more time off.

“I didn’t get surgery until I came back to the UK, around early December. I was supposed to get a meniscus operation straight after the Grand Final, but I couldn’t do that because I ended up injuring my MCL in the same leg.

“I had to go back to Australia and let my MCL recover for eight weeks or so.

“So my pre-season started a little slow in rehab, but it’s been good. I know the boys have been training really hard.

“It only hit me recently that there’s less than a month until the start of the season and then obviously the big game against Penrith, it’s exciting.”

Miski is hoping to gain some minutes in the pre-season friendly against Hull FC in Scott Taylor’s testimonial match, having progressed with his rehabilitation.

“I started running during the Portugal camp, so hopefully I’ll be in good stead for round one,” the Lebanon international said.

“I probably won’t play against Wakefield, but we’re going to see across the next week or two how I pull up after some running sessions and see if I can get any minutes against Hull FC.

“But right now, I’m not too sure.”

The winger, who won Wigan’s 2023 Players’ Player of the Year and Player of the Year awards, remains positive despite a different pre-season to the norm - with the hope that the forced time off will work in his favour in the long run.

Wigan kick-off their 2024 campaign with a trip to the Mend-A-Hose Jungle to face Castleford Tigers on Saturday, February 17, before hosting Penrith Panthers in front of a sold-out DW Stadium.

“It’s been a different pre-season, I’ve rested a lot more than usual,” Miski continued.

“A lot of the boys will be hurting right now, coming to the end of pre-season.

“There’s a lot of kilometres in the legs, but I’m really just starting to get the kilometres in mine.

“Hopefully it works out in my favour, the longer rest.

“I’d love to be out there training with the boys and doing full sessions, it’s definitely different from what I’m used to.

“But I guess that’s part of being a rugby league player.”