Wigan Warriors boss Matt Peet confident in squad depth as youth comes to the fore
Wigan Warriors coach Matt Peet has never been shy about backing youth, and 2026 is shaping up to be another chapter in the club’s proud development history.
For decades, the Warriors have boasted one of the strongest academies in rugby league. This year is no different, with 18 of the 34-man first-team squad having emerged from its own pathways, which underlines a long-standing commitment to building from within rather than undergoing a heavy recruitment drive.
The off-season brought some change. The departures of Liam Byrne, Harvie Hill and Tyler Dupree removed experience and depth from Wigan’s pack, but rather than buying at scale, Peet doubled down on the club’s identity.
The early rounds of 2026 have already vindicated that call. Tom Forber, Zach Eckersley, Junior Nsemba, Jack Farrimond and Sam Eseh – the latter a product of Wakefield Trinity’s academy – have all flourished in the early rounds, repaying the faith shown in them.
"I’d like to think a lot of it is due to the way we develop players,” said Peet when asked about replacing quality with quality. “If you look at what Zach, Junior and Tom Forber are doing for us there – we obviously lost Harvie Hill and Liam Byrne, who are homegrown players as well – and then I’m confident in the rest of the players we had in the 21 today (against Leigh Leopards).
"Those lads are a year older, last year I knew it would have been soon for them, but the likes of Kian McDermott, Taylor Kerr, Dayon Sambou, Lukas Mason, Jack Farrimond… It’s the academy, really, and that’s what our strength is, developing young players, and with that, you’ve got to create opportunities for them.”
Homegrown hooker Forber is set for a more prominent role this season alongside starting nine Brad O’Neill, following Kruise Leeming’s loan move to Catalans Dragons.
Forber, who played in Wigan’s win over Hull KR in the 2024 Grand Final, committed his long-term future to the club last season, signing a deal that keeps him at the Brick Community Stadium until at least 2030.
"To be honest, last year he had a couple of bad injuries, but we’ve always had high hopes for him,” Peet explained. “Kruise was in the mix as well (last year), but he is a player we’ve always had a lot of confidence in.”
There has been external recruitment, too. England international prop Oliver Wilson arrived from Huddersfield Giants on a four-year deal in a high-profile move. However, the 25-year-old suffered a season-ending Achilles injury just weeks into pre-season – a cruel blow before his Wigan career truly began.
When Wilson returns in 2027, he will add further depth to an already formidable forward pack, presenting Peet with what he hopes will be a welcome selection headache.
"I hope so, it’s always a good sign,” the Warriors boss added. “Injuries will come across the league, unfortunately. In most games, you pick one or two up, so you need your squad, you need your academy, and most importantly, you need everyone training to get better, and that’s what we are going to do.”