Matt Peet makes outside-backs recruitment admission with young duo highlighted for important roles in 2024

The Super League champions have stacked their forward pack with the additions of Luke Thompson, Sam Walters, Tiaki Chan and Sam Eseh, while the likes of Morgan Smithies, Joe Shorrocks and Kai Pearce-Paul have all left the club for new moves ahead of next season.

But they have only added one outside-back in the form of Australian centre Adam Keighran, who will link up with his new team-mates after Christmas as a direct replacement for Toby King.

Experienced centre Iain Thornley recently left the Warriors to join Daryl Powell’s Wakefield Trinity in the Championship, and boss Peet admits the club made the decision not to recruit heavily in the outside-backs department, instead opting to trust the next generation of players coming through the youth system.

“I think Zach Eckersley and Jacob Douglas are going to play an important role for us next year,” Peet said.

“Obviously we’ve got other people in our backline who can play on the wing if required, but it was a conscious decision not to bring someone in when Iain Thornley moved on.

“We’ve got Adam Keighran coming in to replace Toby, but as far as the wing spot, and across the back-line, we see Zach and Jacob as our next crop of talent.

“It’s time for them to step up next year.”

Even with their successes of 2023 that included the League Leaders’ Shield and the Super League title, the 39-year-old coach insists there’s always room for improvements, which all starts during the cold pre-season training sessions.

“We want to refresh it,” he said.

"There’s some things that will remain constant and not change, but there are some things that we feel we can do better than last year.

"It’s important that we start right with our fundamentals and basic principles.

“It’s never exactly the same, but there is some consistency.”

The new recruits were among those to be the first to report to training last week, including ex-Leeds skipper Kruise Leeming, who believes Wigan will bring the best out of his performances having signed a four-year deal.

“They’re settling in, we’re getting to know them and they’re getting to know us,” Peet continued.

“Adam Keighran obviously finished last season late with the Grand Final, so he’s not back in yet.

“But Kruise, Sam and Luke all finished a bit earlier. It’s very much an individual approach.

“All the new lads are adding something to the environment in their own way and that’s why they’ve been brought in.

“I think what feels a bit different this year with recruitment is that we’ve brought some players in who have already achieved a decent level of success, they’re going to bring plenty.

“I also look at the young lads we’ve promoted, the likes of Jack Farrimond, and we understand what we got out of Junior Nsemba and Harvie Hill last year, it’s about the next group as well.

“Every player coming in excites us.”