Wigan Warriors boss on Jake Wardle injury latest, the week off and semi-final preparations

Wigan Warriors boss Matt Peet has not ruled Jake Wardle out of Saturday’s play-off semi-final clash with Wakefield Trinity.

The England international has missed Wigan’s last two games with a calf injury sustained in training, with the Warriors hopeful Wardle will feature again this year.

Speaking earlier this month, Peet said Wardle could ‘potentially’ return for the semi-final, or if not, then the Super League Grand Final should they make it to Old Trafford.

And when asked about Wardle’s chances of playing in his pre-match press conference on Tuesday, Peet did not rule him out of featuring against Wakefield this weekend.

“It’s still the same really - he’ll either play this week or in the final (if we get there),” said Peet.

The Warriors claimed the League Leaders’ Shield a fortnight ago, with Peet equalling Super League’s all-time record of nine trophies alongside Tony Smith, Brian Noble and Daniel Anderson.

Wigan’s reward was a bye straight through to the semi-finals alongside Leeds Rhinos, with the pair finishing in the top two at the end of the regular season.

Peet’s side embraced their ‘week off’ with a mini training camp in Harrogate as they target a second treble in three years, having already secured the Challenge Cup and League Leaders’ Shield this year.

“You try to utilise it the best you can - you’ve got to take the reward and freshen up a little bit, but you’ve got to get some work done as well, so hopefully we’ve struck a good balance,” said Peet.

“It brings a little bit more focus to get away, and the lads can get their work done, but also spend a bit more time together, so hopefully they enjoyed it, and hopefully it puts us in a good position now, and we can have a good week’s training.”

Peet said a couple of days in North Yorkshire helped bring the players together while also sharpening their work on the training field.

“I’m always learning about these lot,” Peet smiled. “Particularly some of the young lads, there are some lads who are the really young ones who’ve not played yet, it is the first time some of them have been away in a hotel with the team before.

“The energy is changing all the time when you’ve got young lads and developing players, and you find new characters, so I think that is one of the good things of having a young group is that it keeps us feeling young. You are learning more about the individuals than anything else, and it’s those individuals connecting that makes a team, I suppose.”

Peet has won nine trophies since becoming head coach of his hometown club ahead of the 2022 campaign, as he nears the end of his fifth season in the role.

The Warriors have appeared in many huge games in recent years, but Peet says their approach to games of such significance does not really change.

“I just try to get it right from where I think the group is at, at the time,” he added.

“Every semi-final feels a little bit different, every final feels a bit different, so I don’t think it’s like ‘this is how we behave for a semi-final’. It’s just trying to strike the right chord for the week in terms of how we train and how we prepare.

“I’m very excited. I will be nervous - I don’t want the season to end. You are always hoping that your team not so much wins, but performs and does themselves justice, so of course, I don’t think the emotions ever go away.”

Wigan host Wakefield at the Brick Community Stadium on Saturday evening, while Leeds Rhinos take on Warrington Wolves in the other semi-final on Friday night.