Warrington Wolves boss provides Matty Nicholson NRL update and names possible replacement
Adam Holroyd (left) and Matty Nicholson (right) in action for Warrington Wolves
Warrington Wolves are likely to lose highly-rated forward Matty Nicholson to the NRL at the end of the season, and his replacement could be right under their noses in the shape of Adam Holroyd.
That’s according to Warrington head coach Sam Burgess, who has been impressed with Holroyd whenever he has been given a shot in the first team during his tenure at the Halliwell Jones Stadium so far.
Halifax native Holroyd, 20, has made 17 appearances for the Wolves since making his first team debut in 2022, with 10 of those coming under Burgess in 2024.
And with Nicholson widely reported to be a Canberra Raiders player next year, Warrington may not have to look far to find his replacement, with Holroyd looking more than capable of becoming an established Super League player in his displays this season.
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Nicholson’s move to the NRL for 2025 has yet to be officially confirmed by Warrington or Canberra, but Burgess has admitted that he would be happy putting his trust in Holroyd with a ‘next man up’ mentality, whilst they could also dip into the transfer market to bolster their pack options.
“I see him as a Super League player,” Burgess said of Holroyd in his weekly press conference. “With the way he plays, he doesn’t hold back – sometimes, you have to pull him back.
“I’m thinking of him as a long-term player and we’ve got to be really careful we don’t over-use him.
“With Nicho maybe going, that would mean he (Holroyd) obviously sees more time in there. You could look at it that way, but we could also look to bring someone in.
“Nicho’s still not told us he’s going yet. I’ve not given up on that one but if he does move on, Adz will fit right in. It is a long year, though, so we may look to bring someone in but it’s got to be someone with a little bit of quality.”
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