Sam Eseh keen to seize Wigan Warriors opportunity with ‘best foot forward’ vow
Sam Eseh is determined to seize his opportunity at Wigan Warriors, insisting he is focused on ‘putting my best foot forward’ whenever called upon.
The 22-year-old prop is in his third season at the club after joining from Wakefield Trinity ahead of the 2024 campaign, and 2026 is shaping up to be a breakthrough year.
Eseh made his Wigan debut in February’s Challenge Cup third-round win over Rochdale Hornets and has since featured in eight of their opening 10 games.
He was handed his second start last weekend and played a key role in a thrilling 26-22 victory over his former club Wakefield.
“It was my second start for Wigan, I was buzzing, and I enjoyed it,” Eseh told Wigan Today. “The game is a lot quicker this year, especially in the first 20 minutes, so I was feeling it a bit, but I’m happy we got the win.”
Eseh’s opportunity came after he was left unused on the bench in the Good Friday defeat to St Helens, something Warriors boss Matt Peet later admitted he was ‘disappointed I didn’t use him’. With Ethan Havard absent, Eseh stepped in against Wakefield and grasped his chance, and the Leeds-born forward is remaining grounded and focused on what he can control.
“We had a chat about it, and he had his reasons,” Eseh said of being unused at Saints. “I think the only thing I can do is make sure I am ready when I do get the opportunity and make sure the way I’m performing and the way I am around training is that I’m in his mind to get on and to play, so that’s the only thing that I can control.
“I think if you put your best foot forward in anything you do, it can take you a long way. It’s a privilege to play for the club, and every time I step on the field, I want to put my best foot forward.”
Off the pitch, Eseh is also settling into life in Wigan, with the Yorkshireman even picking up the local Wiganese dialect.
“My mates came to visit a few weeks ago and couldn’t understand the accent,” he laughed. “To me, it’s normal now, but when I first arrived, I was baffled. I catch myself using Wigan phrases these days!”