Wigan Warriors’ wing options for Bradford Bulls clash assessed following double injury blow
Wigan Warriors will be without wingers Liam Marshall and Dayon Sambou for significant periods due to injury.
Earlier this week, the Warriors confirmed that wing pair Marshall and Sambou could both miss up to three months of action with hamstring and PCL injuries respectively.
Marshall left the action in the 11th minute of Friday’s 23-6 defeat at Warrington Wolves with a hamstring injury, with scans revealing that he will be out for around 12 weeks. Meanwhile, Sambou suffered a PCL injury in Wigan’s recent 24-14 home defeat to Castleford Tigers, and will be out for ten to 12 weeks. Both players are now undergoing their rehabilitation programmes.
The injuries to Marshall and Sambou, given that they are both wingers, are obvious blows to Matt Peet’s side. However, there are a couple of avenues Peet and Co 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 on the left wing, starting with Saturday’s Super League clash with Bradford Bulls at the Brick Community Stadium...
Zach Eckersley the only fit winger
Eckersley has made a fine start to life in the No. 2 jersey, with 17 tries to his name in 12 appearances in all competitions so far this year. The 22-year-old is Wigan’s only fit and available out-and-out winger at the moment, so his yardage carries and work out of backfield will be more important than ever in the coming weeks.
Abbas Miski, who has yet to make an appearance this year, is still sidelined due to knee issues, while young outside-back Nathan Lowe, who came close to making his debut back in March, is also out injured at the moment.
Noah Hodkinson?
This is perhaps the most obvious choice when thinking of potential replacements for Marshall on the left wing. Hodkinson made his first-team debut in the absence of Jai Field earlier this season and has since played three games for Peet’s side, making a good impression on life in the first-team whenever he has been given the chance. However, he is primarily a fullback, so it might be a case of needs must this weekend. He played a bit of wing for the reserves in their 24-18 win over Warrington last Saturday before reverting to his preferred fullback role.
Jake Wardle?
Wardle was the man who moved out to the left wing last week when Marshall left the action in the opening quarter at Warrington. He has been one of the premier centres in Super League for several years now, and he could plug the gap for the foreseeable future, given he is defensively sound and would still be able to offer that potent attacking threat we are so used to seeing from him. The England international only returned from a lengthy injury lay-off himself last week, but he is now needed more than ever for the Warriors during this time. If Wardle were to play on the wing, that could allow Adam Keighran to move back into his preferred right centre slot, with captain Liam Farrell on the other side. When there was a reshuffle last week, young loose forward Taylor Kerr came off the bench to partner Jack Farrimond in the halves.
A dip into the reserves?
Could the coaching staff be tempted to dip into the reserves if they wanted a like-for-like wing replacement for Marshall? If so, Josh Cartwright would be the first port of call, you suspect.
Wigan-born Cartwright, who was in Morecambe Football Club’s academy when he was younger before taking up rugby league, played his junior rugby for Orrell St James and Wigan St Pats before progressing through the Warriors’ famed youth system.
The 20-year-old has impressed for the reserves over the last couple of seasons and has some experience of senior rugby, having spent time on loan with Oldham and Salford in the Championship over the last 12 months.
Left-field options?
They are probably the more left-field options – but Wigan could call upon youngsters Jonny Vaughan and George O’Loughlin in the coming weeks for potential debuts.
Both Vaughan and O’Loughlin are both primarily back-rower or centre types, but they have both previously played on the wing in previous years.
Vaughan arrived at Wigan in the off-season on a four-year contract from St Helens alongside Sambou and has featured in every reserves game for the Warriors in 2026 so far. Meanwhile, homegrown talent O’Loughlin – the son of club icon Sean – has featured for Salford on loan this season.
So while Marshall and Sambou will be sorely missed during their time in the treatment room, the Warriors do have a couple of options in terms of plugging the gap. As one door temporarily closes, another door opens.