Season Preview: Wigan Warriors
Head coach: Shaun Wane
Last season: 4th (Grand final winners)
In:
Sam Hopkins (Leigh)
Eddy Pettybourne (Wests Tigers)
Matthew Bowen (North Queensland)
Tony Clubb (London)
Dan Sarginson (London)
John Bateman (Bradford)
Jordan James (Unattached)
Out:
Lee Mossop (Parramatta)
Paul Prescott (Retired)
Gareth Hock (Salford)
Liam Carberry (Widnes)
Tom Spencer (Leigh)
Harrison Hansen (Salford)
Rhodri Lloyd (Widnes)
Squad:
1 Matthew Bowen FULL BACK
2 Josh Charnley WINGER
3 Darrell Goulding CENTRE
4 Ian Thornley CENTRE
5 Anthony Gelling WINGER
6 Blake Green STAND OFF
7 Matty Smith SCRUM HALF
8 Scott Taylor PROP FORWARD
9 Michael McIlorum HOOKER
10 Ben Flower PROP FORWARD
12 Liam Farrell SECOND ROW
13 Sean O’Loughlin LOOSE FORWARD
14 Jack Hughes SECOND ROW
15 Logan Tomkins HOOKER
16 Gil Dudson PROP FORWARD
17 Dominic Crosby PROP FORWARD
19 Sam Powell SCRUM HALF
20 Greg Burke SECOND ROW
21 Andy Powell PROP FORWARD
22 Eddy Pettybourne SECOND ROW
23 Dan Sarginson STAND OFF
24 Tony Clubb LOOSE FORWARD
25 John Bateman SECOND ROW
26 Ryan Hampshire SCRUM HALF
27 George Williams SCRUM HALF
28 Jordan James PROP FORWARD
29 Sam Hopkins PROP FORWARD
31 Dominic Manfredi WINGER
32 Joe Burgess WINGER
34 Lewis Tierney FULL BACK
35 Rob Lever LOOSE FORWARD
36 Connor Farrell LOOSE FORWARD
37 Ryan Sutton PROP FORWARD
38 Ben Austin PROP FORWARD
39 Jack Murphy FULL BACK
James’ prediction:
3rd – Despite losing some key men in Tomkins, Richards, Mossop and Hansen, Wigan have shown time and time again that their production line of young talent can see them through. They have the experience of what it takes, and in Shaun Wane, have a coach who knows what it takes to make a Wigan team click.
View from the pitch:
Josh Charnley – “The new signings have gelled well, and combinations with the likes of Matty Bowen are looking good. We are being written off again, but in a way that helps, we are confident we can go all the way.”
