How Brad O’Neill cemented himself as Wigan Warriors’ starting hooker: ‘Gone up a level’

Brad O’Neill was given the number nine shirt at Wigan Warriors ahead of 2024 – and the academy product has taken his game to another level.

That’s according to his head coach Matt Peet, who has overseen O’Neill’s development through the academy ranks to the first team, and put faith in the 21-year-old hooker by giving him a starting shirt ahead of this season.

O’Neill has already made more than 50 first team appearances for the Warriors, already winning everything there is to win at club level: a Super League Grand Final, Challenge Cup, League Leaders’ Shield and World Club Challenge.

The Leigh-born hooker is a lifelong Warriors fan, having had a season ticket when he was a kid, and now he is getting to live out his boyhood dream.

“He’s been good, I think he’s gone up a level,” Peet said when asked about O’Neill ahead of their Good Friday derby against St Helens.

“Certainly from last year, starting the year as back-up and edging his way into that number nine shirt, but I think this year he has cemented himself as our starting number nine.

“I think there are exciting times ahead for Brad but he works very hard so he deserves them with the form that he’s in.”

The Warriors brought in experienced hooker Kruise Leeming on a four-year contract ahead of this season, with the plan being for him to work in tandem with O’Neill, whilst the champions have also got promising hooker Tom Forber pushing hard for a spot in Peet’s 17.

Peet added: “That’s been the plan with Brad and Kruise, it hasn’t really materialised yet this year because of Kruise picking up that knock, but that’s what we’re aiming for eventually, Brad and Kruise sharing the game-time and each getting to impose their strengths on the games.”

PREVIEW: Wigan Warriors’ Luke Thompson on Good Friday derby against former club St Helens

St Helens v Wigan Warriors: Good Friday derby full of key battles

The Good Friday derby between St Helens and Wigan is full of mouth-watering battles across the park.. Jack Welsby vs Jai Field, Jonny Lomax vs Bevan French, Lewis Dodd vs Harry Smith, Alex Walmsley vs Luke Thompson to name a few. But could the most important be in the hooking department? Saints’ international nine Daryl Clark against Wigan’s hot prospect Brad O’Neill.

Peet is wary of the threats Paul Wellens’ side pose, and believes Clark has added a new dimension into how Saints attack.

“You look across their spine, with Clark, Welsby, Lomax and Dodd, it’s pretty much an England spine so I think you’ve got to look first and foremost at that,” Peet said when asked about Saints’ biggest threats.

“I think the way Jonny and Jack can link up is obviously a real threat and Daz Clark has probably added a new dimension to their attack that they’ve not had for a while, but it sits behind an outstandingly hard-working pack, a very powerful front-row, and just a hard-working group of players that understand their club’s DNA and turn up and work hard every week.

“I think he was always going to do that. James at the back end of his career had unbelievable strengths in his game – his leadership, distribution, work rate – his running game probably wasn’t as electric as it had been earlier in his career but obviously with Daryl, that’s his main strength.”

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