Liam Farrell discusses setting the standard in the Wigan Warriors squad, working with Matt Peet, and returning for pre-season

The 31-year-old returned to training at Robin Park on Monday, after enjoying an extended break due to his England involvement.

Despite working under Warriors’ new head coach Matty Peet previously, he admits there will still be a new relationship between the two.

He said: “I was pretty nervous coming back in because there’s an all-new set up with new coaching staff and a few new faces, but it’s been good.

“Obviously, I’ve known Matty (Peet) for a long time but, I’m going to see him in a new light now and he’ll see me in a different one too. You just want to make good first impressions especially with the new lads coming in.

“You want to make sure they see the right person, especially when you’re an experienced player, you have to set the right example. I always try to do that by introducing myself and making them feel welcome and comfortable.

“Some of the new players have very good skills and could be very beneficial for us going forward.”

Farrell takes pride in his senior role at the club and hopes he can help to inspire the rest of the team.

“It has just naturally come over the years, I’ve never been someone who has been desperate to get into a leadership role, but as I’ve got older it’s become natural to me.

“We’ve got a great leadership group, so as long as we do the right things, hopefully everyone else will follow. That’s what we are going to do over the next few months.”

Farrell is enjoying being back amongst the squad but admits there is a part of pre-season he has been happy to miss.

“I was happy to miss the run-up Haigh Hall, I’ve been there and done it before, so I’m pretty experienced in it. As much as its physical test, it’s a mental one for the lads too. It’s a tough time of the year and shows the lads who are willing to rip in and do the hard work.

“I did look after myself while I was off and kept an eye on what the lads were doing, but you need that breakaway from the club to regenerate yourself, to come in fresh.

“I’m looking forward to these few weeks coming up to Christmas, and then in the New Year it starts to get really exciting. It is tough, but it’s about the consistency of doing it week in week out. There might be some tired bodies, but you’ve got to keep going every day.”

“Over the last three years we have not won trophies like we want to, but we are still in a good position and there is a lot of improvement in us. We all expect to get silverware, so that is the main focus for us.

“There are a lot of processes and skills on the field to get right, there is also a bit of a culture issue to sort out as well, so it’s about making sure we tick all those boxes, and it will all come together.”

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