Jake Bibby feeling the best he's ever been heading into 2022 with Wigan Warriors

The 25-year-old has been focusing on bulking up ahead of the new campaign to improve his game as much as possible.

From a personal perspective, he’s hoping he can build on a positive 2021 season, where he scored 13 tries in the Super League.

He said: “After taking on board what the coaches have been saying, I’ve put a bit of weight on to get a bit heavier this year.

“It’s only going to benefit me really going into the season, I’m the strongest and fittest I’ve ever felt.

“If anything needs to change then I can adapt throughout the year.

“At this age I feel like I’m getting to peak. I’m not the biggest lover of gyms, but seeing all the science behind it is quite mad, if you brought an old rugby player into this environment, they’d be a bit shook up.”

Even though he’s trying to get bigger, Bibby admits he’ll have to be careful over the Christmas period.

“I do like to eat, and I’ll have to watch what I’m doing so I don’t get too fat,” he smiled.

“I do look after myself, so I’ll do what I normally do and then maybe pay for any repercussions, but I won’t be in bad shape.

“It’s good to have a rest before getting straight back into it. You need to have the right balance of time off and just ticking over.

“You need to enjoy your time off over Christmas because the real work starts when you go back.

“They do optional sessions here, so I’ll be coming in doing a few of them. It’s always good to see the lads during this time, especially after last year when it was pretty secluded.”

Bibby says he’s working hard to get better in all areas, including defence, where he’s been able to pull off a number of last-gasp try-saving tackles over the last few campaigns.

“I pride myself on the defensive side of the side of things,” he said.

“You just need to think about what’s at stake for the team. If you work hard, you will get a result.

“If you’re in a 50/50 situation then all this work will come off. And it’s nice being known as a big hitter.

“A lot of things in rugby is just feeling when it comes to making the right choice. The more you do it, the better you get. I just back myself and be brave, and hopefully I come out on top.”

Although Bibby’s preferred position is centre, he’s willing to fill in wherever the team requires him.

“I’m a bit of a chess piece, I’ll fit anywhere if it is for the best of the team,” he added.

“I just want to get my head down now, and if I get a good run in a certain position, I just need to focus on that, until I’m needed somewhere else.

“At Salford I had a good chat with Martin Gleeson about this, and he always drilled into to me being able to play on both sides because it makes it an open field for you and allows you to step forward if someone gets injured, so I just put my hand up if I’m needed.”

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