'Ball of energy' Noah Hodkinson backed by senior Wigan Warriors figures after bright start
Homegrown talent Noah Hodkinson has been backed by senior figures at Wigan Warriors after a lively and encouraging start to his first-team career.
The 20-year-old fullback, a product of Wigan’s renowned youth system, has made a strong impression since stepping into the matchday side earlier this month. Hodkinson debuted in a 30-6 victory over Bradford Bulls in the Challenge Cup fourth round, deputising for injured stars Jai Field and Bevan French, and followed it up with a standout display in last week’s 23-22 win over York Knights.
In that match, Hodkinson scored his first Wigan try and played a key role on both sides of the ball, earning Sky Sports’ Player of the Match award in just his second senior appearance in cherry and white.
Speaking after the win over York, Wigan coach Matt Peet reserved particular praise for the youngster’s bravery under pressure, noting the way he handled targeted attention from opposition kickers and chasers.
"Brave,” Peet said of Hodkinson. “He put himself in the right positions, got under kicks. York put up some great kicks, chased hard and were physical with him, which is what they should be doing.
“If you put a young fullback in, you expect teams to target him. It’s the same with a young halfback – teams are going to run at Jack (Farrimond), teams are going to kick at Noah and whack him. They’ve got to come out of the other side of it, which I thought they did tonight, and it’s great for their development. I reckon with most teams at the moment, that will pretty much be their game plan, so those lads just need to keep doing what they’re doing – working hard and preparing right.”
Hodkinson’s emergence comes amid a broader influx of youth into the Wigan first-team this season, with fellow prospect Jack Farrimond also gaining valuable experience in the spine. Academy graduate Taylor Kerr also made his debut in Wigan’s win over Toulouse Olympique earlier this month. Dayon Sambou and Sam Eseh, who did not come through Wigan’s academy but are still in the early stages of their professional careers, have also debuted for Peet’s side in 2026.
Warriors star Brad O’Neill echoed his coach’s sentiments, praising Hodkinson’s energy and instinctive play, while stressing the importance of trust from senior teammates.
"Noah is good – he is a ball of energy,” O’Neill said of Hodkinson. “It’s just more or less just about backing him, trusting him and letting him do his thing.
“We’ve seen tonight (against York), he’s shown glimpses of what he can do. He got man-of-the-match, scored a try, set up two and killed it.”
O’Neill, who made his 100th appearance for Wigan last week, also came through the Warriors’ youth ranks before going on to become one of Super League’s premier hookers and an England international. He pointed to the club’s continued production line of young talent, with several players having already made their mark on the first-team this season.
"It’s all about producing these young talents that keep on coming through,” O’Neill said. “I think we’ve had four or five debuts this year, and not one of us has not trusted them. Look at them – they’ve come through it and killed it, so I’m really happy for them.”