Wigan Warriors strike up partnership with NFL heavyweights ahead of Las Vegas trip

Super League champions Wigan Warriors have forged a partnership with NFL outfit New York Giants following their historic quadruple-winning 2024 campaign, Love Rugby League can reveal.

Matt Peet’s men completed an unprecedented clean sweep of World Club Challenge, Challenge Cup, League Leaders’ Shield and Super League trophy this year.

Those achievements have put Peet and his side in line for the BBC Sports Personality Coach of the Year and Team of the Year awards at the prestigious awards ceremony on December 17.

Now, Love Rugby League can reveal that Peet, chief executive Kris Radlinski and assistant coaches Sean O’Loughlin and Tommy Leuluai spent the past week in the Big Apple with the Giants.

The trip stateside came ahead of Wigan’s Super League fixture against Warrington Wolves on March 1 and saw the quartet take in a Giants home game and delve into their work practices and methodologies.

“When we extended Matt’s contract last year, one of the things we discussed was his continued professional development,” Radlinski told Love Rugby League.

“That included opportunities for him and his family to experience the world and that was the same for Sean and Tommy, so we were always looking at doing things. Halfway through this year, I actually wrote to the New York Giants, introduced myself and sent some clips of Wigan Warriors.

“I said ‘I would love an opportunity for our guys to come in and meet some of your staff and see what they can learn in various departments’.”

The trip was funded by Wigan’s billionaire owner Mike Danson and Radlinski added: “When we completed the Grand Slam, winning all four trophies, Mike made the very generous gesture of allowing us to take our partners as well.

“We went to New York, had a few things planned in the city, and then on one of the days we went to the Giants’ training centre in New Jersey.

“We spent five or six hours inside their camp, meeting people from different departments – performance, analytics and recruitment –who all kindly gave up their time for us.

“I facilitated it and watched Matt, Sean and Tommy drill into all elements of the New York Giants and what they wanted to learn. And then, last Sunday, we went to the Giants’ NFL home game against Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

“Of course American Football is a different sport but you’re looking for innovation and of different ways of communicating with your players while recovery was a big aspect too. Matty is curious as a coach and that’s a really important quality to have.

“We’re very aware that, once you have that champions tag on you, people are coming for you so it’s important to keep evolving and getting better yourself.”

Peet has built up links with several high-profile rugby union clubs and coaches in the UK, including Sale Sharks, Saracens and Leicester Tigers.

Two years ago, he spent time in the England camp during Eddie Jones’ time in charge. “A lot of the investment that Wigan are making in us as coaches is so that we can help improve the club and our players,” Peet told Love Rugby League.

“We had pretty much the past week in New York and the New York Giants, like our big soccer clubs over here, are a huge organisation.

“But you’ve got to try and see past that – it’s about the people, the connection between the staff and how they communicate with one another. The bigger the organisation, the more important I suppose it is to have a clarity of message and shared vision.

“It was great to see how the Giants did that on a bigger scale and I certainly think we can take something from that. The analysis that they do is done in microscopic detail and the way they use audio-visual.

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“Virtual reality was a big thing for us because it’s a way of players developing a skillset without running around the field and building loads.

“The amount they invest in technology – research and development – stood out and is certainly something we’re going to try and tap into in our own way.

“It wasn’t just a performance-related visit. Rads was particularly interested in the marketing, merchandise and corporate operation and we were all fascinated by the game-day experience because obviously the games are a major event over there.

“The Giants’ scouting and recruitment operation – and how they apply analytics there – was probably the biggest takeaway for me personally as head coach.

“They do a lot of scouting on college players and opposition teams as well.  It was very impressive how well that is coordinated and moderated.

“We had a good chat with the Giants’ head of performance, head of recruitment and head of analytics. Overall it was a fantastic trip.”

Peet spent a year on the coaching staff at Sale before returning to Wigan in 2019 and remains a big fan of the 15-a-side code.

He added: “You’ll find that rugby union clubs are very open with rugby league clubs because we’re not in competition with each other.

“They’re always very inquisitive about our game as well and Ian Bentley, our Head of Performance, went to Northampton Saints recently and has been to Southampton FC too where Mark Bitcon, our former Direct of Performance, works.

“As a club, we’ll keep looking at new ideas and ways to get better.”

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