'Bigger, stronger, faster' - Wigan Warriors ace Junior Nsemba feeling gains of full pre-season
Junior Nsemba believes completing a full pre-season has helped him hit the ground running in 2026, with the Wigan Warriors powerhouse feeling the benefits of that work in the early stages of the campaign.
Still only 21, Nsemba has already racked up 81 first-team appearances since his debut in 2022, but until this year had never managed a full, uninterrupted pre-season with the senior squad due to injuries and international commitments with England.
This time around, he was able to complete the full programme, and the 6ft 5in back-rower believes it has made a clear difference.
“I’ve not actually experienced a full pre-season with the first-team due to injuries or England and whatnot, so it was pretty nice to get a good pre-season under my belt,” Nsemba told Wigan Today.
“Matty (Peet, head coach) had a big focus on getting me bigger, stronger and faster, and then the fitness came through Bubble (Chris Baron, strength and conditioning coach) and Bentos (Ian Bentley, head of performance).
"I feel like it’s worked. I’m feeling fresher than last year… That’s not to say I wasn’t fresh before, but I just feel better in myself this year and feel like I’ve got off to a good start.”
Wigan’s form has reflected that sharpness and fitness across the squad. They have opened the Super League season with five wins from as many games and are through to the Challenge Cup quarter-finals, setting the early pace at the top of the league table.
For Nsemba, the incremental improvements are not just physical. He feels more comfortable in his role and more aware of the smaller details that make a big difference at the elite level.
“Most definitely,” he said when asked if he feels bigger, stronger and faster. “I feel like, with what we want to do as a team this year, I’m doing more little things on the pitch to make everyone else’s job easier, and they do it for me as well, so it’s just a team mentality.”
Those ‘little things’ – the one per cent effort areas that can go unnoticed by casual viewers – are a key focus within the Warriors camp.
“Keeping your feet moving, no plays off,” he explained. “At this level, if you have a play off, it can hurt you. It can be the difference between winning and losing, so that’s the big focus – no plays off.”
The work behind that mindset was laid during a demanding pre-season schedule, with Nsemba highlighting the intensity of sessions led by Wigan’s performance staff, who were tasked with getting the squad fitter, faster, stronger, and ready to go attack the season ahead.
“Two gym sessions a day,” Nsemba smiled when asked for the key ingredients behind their pre-season. “Bubble rinsed us in the gym, really. Some days were long, but we all knew it was for a good cause, and we trusted him.
“He’s a professional at what he does, and the outcome that he is getting right now is serving us well. His double gym sessions have worked.”
Despite his growing influence in Matt Peet’s forward pack, Nsemba is keen to keep things in perspective. He feels he has established himself in the team, particularly on the edge, but knows there is more to come.
“I’d say built a good connection on that edge with Harry (Smith), (Jake) Wardle and Marshy (Liam Marshall), and obviously Faz (Liam Farrell) is there now,” he said.
“But I wouldn’t say I’ve got all the experience yet. I’m still young. If I had the experience, I’d be on Faz’s level, but I’m not there yet, so I’ve still got a lot of work to do.”
Nsemba’s reference to Liam Farrell highlights the influence of Wigan’s long-serving skipper, who has again been asked to adapt for the good of the team, filling in at left centre while Jake Wardle remains in the treatment room, having suffered a knee injury in their opening round win over Castleford Tigers.
“He’s playing out of position at the moment, and it’s great to learn from him,” Nsemba said of Farrell, who made his first-team debut for the Warriors back in 2010. “The standards don’t drop. It’s good that Matty can trust Faz to go out of position and still nail his role, and he will do the little things on the pitch for me and the team – he is a very good captain.”
Farrell’s willingness to put the team first has set the tone within the group.
“That’s why he is captain,” Nsemba added. “No questions asked, he’ll do what’s best for the team. He isn’t selfish, and he wants the same outcome as everyone else.”
For all the positives, Nsemba is not getting carried away. His focus remains on continuing to improve and building on what has been a strong start.
“Nothing is finished,” he said. “I’m not fully experienced yet, and I want to get to that stage, so I’ll just keep doing what I’m doing, stay level-headed and keep listening to the coaches.”
There is also added motivation within the squad after last season. Wigan swept all four trophies in 2024 but went without silverware in 2025 – something that has not been forgotten internally or externally.
“It’s not a nice feeling,” Nsemba admitted. “Going from winning everything to winning nothing, it does hurt, but at the same time, it can bring a bit of fire as well. In sport, you’ve got to take the losses with the wins – you can’t have it all your own way otherwise you wouldn’t know what that feeling is like when you lose.
“I’m pretty grateful to have experienced that early in my career. This year we’ve started fast, and the team has grown nicely, so hopefully we can keep it going.”