Wigan Warriors fullback options analysed ahead of Toulouse Olympique trip following Jai Field blow
Wigan Warriors will be without star fullback Jai Field for four to six weeks after being diagnosed with appendicitis, which the Australian speedster has had operated on.
The 28-year-old’s absence comes as a big blow to the Warriors and himself, having made an impressive start to the 2026 campaign, scoring seven tries in Wigan’s four competitive outings so far. Field has been one of the standout players in Super League in the early rounds, so his absence is no doubt a blow to all involved.
There are a number of avenues coach Matt Peet could go down in terms of filling the void at fullback in the coming weeks. With that in mind, Wigan Today has taken a look at the options at Peet’s disposal as to how the Warriors could shape up at fullback, starting with Saturday’s trip to Toulouse Olympique…
Bevan French to fullback, Jack Farrimond in the halves alongside Harry Smith?
Perhaps the most obvious choice would be moving Bevan French to fullback and bringing young gun Jack Farrimond back into the first-team fold. Farrimond impressed for the Reserves in their 20-6 win over Leeds Rhinos at Robin Park Arena last Saturday, scoring two tries and kicking four goals in what was another standout display from the 20-year-old. French has, of course, played in the fullback role many times before for Wigan and is in pole position for the No. 1 spot in Field’s absence, you suspect. In addition, Farrimond is at a stage where he is behind French and Harry Smith in the pecking order, but he almost seems to be at too high a standard to be playing in the Reserves every week. However, it is easy to forget that he is still only 20, and there is plenty of time for him to fully break through. Peet and Co have done a fine job in nurturing his progression into the first-team over the last couple of years, so there is no rush.
A potential debut for homegrown talent Noah Hodkinson?
Another option Peet could be tempted to go down is giving a debut to highly-rated youngster Noah Hodkinson, who has recently entered his second season as a full-time professional with the Warriors. The Bolton-born fullback has yet to make his first-team debut for Wigan, but enjoyed a spell on loan with Championship club Widnes Vikings last term, and has pulled on the Salford jersey for a game in 2026, where he played alongside fellow Wigan youngsters Nathan Lowe, George O’Loughlin, Lukas Mason and Taylor Kerr while on loan. Hodkinson has undergone an impressive pre-season programme with Peet’s first-team and does regular one-to-one fullback skill drills alongside Field, who has been somewhat of a mentor to him over the last 18 months.
Zach Eckersley to fullback?
The other realistic option, you feel, would be moving Zach Eckersley from wing to fullback in the absence of Field. Eckersley has made a fine start to life in Wigan’s No. 2 jersey, scoring eight tries in four appearances so far in 2026. He is no stranger to the fullback role either, having spent time there in the academy and then in the first-team. If Eckersley was to fill the void at fullback, off-season recruit Dayon Sambou, who has been 18th man in the early rounds, could make his club debut on the wing, or Abbas Miski could be brought in, depending on where he is in his recovery from his hamstring injury.
Whilst Field’s absence is undoubtedly a significant blow for Wigan, they do have a number of options in terms of plugging the gap. As one door temporarily closes, another door opens.