Cade Cust absence explained by Wigan boss

Josh McAllister
Cade Cust, SWPix

Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com

Wigan boss Matt Peet has confirmed a neck injury to half-back Cade Cust ahead of their Super League derby clash with Leigh. 

Cust, 24, has featured in every game so far this season for the Warriors, but will be forced to watch from the sidelines at the Leigh Sports Village.

Peet has confirmed that the Australian half-back has been carrying a neck injury in recent weeks.

Wigan will monitor the situation, with Peet not ruling out potential surgery for Cust.

“Cade has been playing through the pain recently,” Peet said to Jenna Brooks on Sky Sports.

“He had a scan this week and is going to be out for a bit of time. He’s got a bulging disk in his neck.

“His scans showed that he had lost a bit of power in it. We will find out if Cust needs an operation or just rest.”

His absence sees Bevan French named at full-back ahead of their clash with Leigh, with Jai Field switching into the halves.

Meanwhile, Liam Marshall misses out on the wing, replaced by Toby King.

The move also presents Abbas Miski with his first game of the Super League season, named on the wing in replacement of in-form Marshall.

Lebanon international Miski has previously featured for London Broncos in the Championship on dual-registration earlier this season.

England international Kai Pearce-Paul has also been named for a start in the centres, partnering Toby King.

Having returned to his parent club from his loan spell at Leigh ahead of the clash, forward Joe Shorrocks has been named on the bench to face Adrian Lam’s Leopards.

Shorrocks, 23, featured in Leigh’s wins over Hull KR and St Helens.

Familiar changes for Wigan

Head coach Peet made changes during the second half of Wigan’s Super League clash with Salford in Round Six.

The change saw Cust axed in the 47th minute, with French moving to full-back and Field moved to the halves alongside Harry Smith in the same move made for the visit to the Leigh Sports Village.

Peet’s tactical changes saw the Warriors complete a second half comeback for a 20-16 victory at the DW Stadium, having found themselves 16-8 down early in the second 40.

Tries from French and King completed the late turnaround, with the Australian outside-back also crossing in the first half.

Leigh’s team news

Meanwhile, Joe Mellor misses out for Leigh, with Ben Reynolds partnering Lachlan Lam in the halves for the hosts.

Josh Charnley will be looking to continue his form, having scored a hat-trick against Hull in their 24-16 victory at the MKM Stadium.

Leigh: O’Brien, Briscoe, Hardaker, Leutele, Charnley, Reynolds, Lam, Amone, Ipape, Mulhern, Holmes, O’Donnell, Asiata. Bench: Nakubuwai, Seumanufagai, Chamberlain, Davis.

Wigan: French, King, Pearce-Paul, Wardle, Miski, Field, Smith, Cooper, Powell, Byrne, Isa, Farrell, Smithies. Bench: Ellis, Havard, O’Neill, Shorrocks.

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