Wigan Warriors boss Matt Peet makes recruitment stance with strength in depth highlighted

The reigning champions have added just one fresh face in the form of George Hirst on a two-year deal from Oldham, with the option of a third in the club’s favour, while five academy products in Taylor Kerr, Noah Hodkinson, Nathan Lowe, Lukas Mason and Kian McDermott have all been promoted to the senior squad after being crowned Academy Grand Final champions last season.

Wigan confirmed a 33-player squad last week for their title-defending campaign, while the club lost playmaker Ryan Hampshire (released) and prop Mike Cooper (retired) from last year’s team.

“We’ve got stability, which means we’ve got trust and we’ve got cohesion. We’re looking to improve by developing every individual and developing the connection and George Hirst will add his bit as well,” Peet told Wigan Today.

“We’re comfortable with the squad that we’ve got. We missed Willie Isa for large parts of last year, and we’ll get Brad O’Neill back in the spring. We’re happy with it.”

Veteran back-rower Willie Isa, who will turn 36 in January, missed the majority of the 2024 campaign after suffering a horrific fracture dislocation injury to his ankle in April against Castleford Tigers in the Challenge Cup.

He is expected to be available for round one of the new campaign, having signed a 12-month extension which will see him enter his 10th season with the Cherry and Whites.

His recovery adds further strong competition for the back-row spot at the Warriors in 2025, alongside captain Liam Farrell, Super League’s 2024 Young Player of the Year Junior Nsemba, Sam Walters and the likes of Tiaki Chan and new recruit Hirst, who quickly established himself as a fan favourite for Oldham across a two-year spell.

Peet said: “I say it all the time, but around the place he [Willie Isa] still has an impact on what you would see on game day or what’s happening on the training field, even though he’s been injured. He’s an important part of the group.

“I look at it as strength in depth and competition. We’ll pick the team on a week-to-week basis and we’ll have the long-term vision in mind, but it’s a great position to be in.”

Towering youngster Nsemba has been promoted to squad number 11 ahead of the new season following one of the finest breakthrough campaigns in Super League history, with Isa to don shirt number 14 next year.

England international prop Luke Thompson, who was named in the Super League Dream Team last season, also received a promotion to squad number 10, with Liam Byrne swapping for shirt 16.

On squad numbers, Peet added: “Even though it’s not a guarantee for starting game one, on the back of last season, we thought that they [Junior and Luke] deserved those numbers. It wasn't anything that anyone else had done wrong, but just the fact that those two have been so excellent.”