Inside Wigan Warriors' pre-season as Sean O'Loughlin shares detailed insight on 2026 preparations
Pre-season at Wigan Warriors has always been about more than simply getting fitter and stronger.
It is a period that sets standards, reinforces habits and lays the foundations for the long Super League season ahead, underpinned by a tight-knit culture that values hard work, attention to detail and continual improvement.
Sean O’Loughlin, who is now embarking on his sixth pre-season in his role as assistant coach, believes the pre-season programme continues to evolve, but its core principles remain unchanged.
Asked whether pre-seasons have changed much over his years in the game, O’Loughlin explained how the Warriors continually refine their approach whilst keeping the fundamentals in place.
“Yeah, I think they always adapt,” O’Loughlin told Wigan Today.
"You always pick up little bits from the year before or maybe things from the season that you want to improve on, and they maybe take the lead a little bit on it, but the basics of coming in, working hard, lifting weights, running… They don’t change.
"There is an element of skill, improving and getting better, but there is also an element of building character and putting in the graft and hard work, especially in the period before Christmas, when you’ve got the younger lads who benefit a lot from the physical side of it.
"After Christmas and in the New Year, it will probably get more technical and tactical, looking at the games coming up pretty thick and fast, but it is very much individual-based at the minute, individual skill, individual improvements, gym, running and getting fit and strong."
That early emphasis on physical conditioning and mental resilience is particularly valuable for the younger members of the first-team, who are given the opportunity to immerse themselves in the demands of an elite, full-time environment.
Without the immediate pressure of match preparation and the weekly grind that the season brings, the focus shifts to personal development and learning what it takes to succeed at the highest level.
Despite limitations on numbers during the opening phase of pre-season, intensity doesn’t drop. Wrestling and contact work remain key components of Wigan’s daily schedule, ensuring standards are maintained even without full team sessions.
Wigan’s overseas contingent and international players will report back to Robin Park Arena early in the New Year.
Providing an insight into what a typical pre-season day looks like, O’Loughlin said: “There’s tons of stuff going on, on the mats, wrestle, contact…
"But for us, which we knew, from week one to probably Christmas/New Year, we’ve not got the numbers in to do massive positional left and right or 13 on 13, which we knew we wouldn’t, but it is a good opportunity, especially for the younger lads, because they get a bit more attention, just hammering their individual roles.
"So for a back-rower, just drilling into them what’s expected from a back-rower and giving them opportunities to practice it and get loads of reps on that, and then just generally touching the ball a lot, practising your passing, catching and carrying balls into contact.
"There is no secret about it… I think when it’s not 13 on 13 and when it’s not bigger picture, then it’s just an opportunity to get a lot more reps into each person individually and chuck as much as we can at them to give them some kind of simple things to try to get better at and just give them opportunities to work hard and do that.”
The individual attention allows the Wigan coaches to strip the game back to its basics. Players spend large portions of sessions repeatedly working on role-specific actions, whether that be ball carrying, defensive techniques or ball-handling skills, which builds confidence and consistency through repetition.
Alongside developing existing talent within the first-team squad, pre-season also gives clubs the chance to integrate new players into the squad.
Wigan have welcomed four new signings ahead of the 2026 campaign in the shape of Jonny Vaughan, Dayon Sambou, Finn McMillan and Oliver Wilson, although the latter is set to miss the entire upcoming season after suffering a cruel Achilles injury in training.
The quartet’s early impressions have been encouraging, according to O’Loughlin.
"All good lads,” he added. “They’ve all been in since week one, which is good for them, so they’re doing their jobs on the field and doing some good stuff. I’ve been impressed with what I’ve seen on the grass and in the gym and that kind of thing, but they all seem sound lads as well.
"They all seem like they’re settling in well, getting to know the group and finding their feet, so they’re looking good.”
For O’Loughlin and the Warriors, pre-season is not about shortcuts or quick fixes. It is about doing the hard work early, building strong foundations and ensuring every player is ready, both physically and mentally, for what lies ahead in 2026.