Wigan Warriors boss Matt Peet explained the absence of several key men following their win over Salford Red Devils and why he opted to rotate his squad, with a number of youngsters having ‘earned’ the right to play.

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Peet made a total of five changes to his side that won away at Catalans Dragons for their 46-6 win over Salford Red Devils at the Salford Community Stadium on Friday evening.

Jacob Douglas, Jack Farrimond, Tyler Dupree, Harvie Hill and Kian McDermott came into the matchday 17, with the latter making his first-team debut for his hometown club. The quintet replaced Jake Wardle, Kruise Leeming (illness), Sam Walters (fibula), Luke Thompson (ribs) and Liam Farrell (knock) in Peet’s side.

There are a couple of positional changes too, with prop Ethan Havard moving into the back-row. Farrimond and Harry Smith started in the halves and on the bench was superstar Bevan French, who was an unused sub in the end.

Explaining the decision to start Havard in the back-row, Peet explained: “To be honest, Faz (Liam Farrell) has been carrying a bit of a knock for a while, so we wanted to rest him, but then obviously we also lost Sam Walters and Luke Thompson, who would be our next back-row choices, so I did have to give it some thought, and that’s why Kian (McDermott) came onto the bench, because he trains in the back-row a bit, but we just thought Ethan to start the game, with a bit more experience and physicality, and I thought he acquitted himself well.

“Ethan was really excited about the challenge when I spoke to him in the week, and I don’t see why he couldn’t do it again, to be honest.”

England international hooker Brad O’Neill played his first full 80 minutes of the year in his eighth appearance following his return of his ACL injury back in March.

“Kruise (Leeming) was supposed to be on the bench, but he was poorly,” Peet explained. “We weren’t going to play Bev, but Kruise has been struggling with a bit of illness.

“Brad’s always keen to stay on the field anyway, so it was a good opportunity for him, and I thought he acquitted himself well, particularly defensively.”

Apart from the aforementioned Leeming (illness) and Farrell (knock), the likes of Wardle and French were rested, but Peet was keen to give a chance to academy products Farrimond and Douglas, who both got on the scoresheet and put in stellar performances.

Asked if the others were just rested, Peet replied: “A bit of that, and just odd bangs and bruises that we know lads are carrying, which won’t do them any harm to take a week off them.

“And more so, the lads who got an opportunity, the likes of Jack (Farrimond) and Jacob (Douglas), they’ve earned it, they’ve been working hard, and we’re going to need them later in the year, so it was a good opportunity to get them out there.”

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Wigan Warriors coach Matt Peet has made two changes to his 21-man squad ahead of their trip to Salford Red Devils on Friday evening.

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The Warriors will be without key duo Sam Walters and Luke Thompson, with the front-rowers suffering injury blows in their 48-0 win over Catalans Dragons in the south of France last Saturday.

Walters is facing around three months in the treatment room with a broken fibula, whilst England international Thompson sustained two broken ribs, which are expected to sideline him for a short-term spell.

Walters and Thompson are replaced in Peet’s 21-man squad by homegrown props Harvey Makin and Kian McDermott.

Makin has actually spent time on loan with Salford this season, making four appearances for Paul Rowley’s Red Devils. Meanwhile, McDermott has played seven times for London Broncos in the Championship this season via dual-registration. Should either Makin or McDermott feature against Salford on Friday night, it would mark their first-team debuts for Wigan.

Meanwhile, Tyler Dupree is likely to return for Wigan against his former club Salford, with the England international having been 18th man in Perpignan last weekend. Harvie Hill could also come back into the fold, with the young Cumbrian prop having scored a hat-trick for the reserves last weekend.

Academy products Jack Farrimond and Jacob Douglas could also feature, having been part of Peet’s 21 that travelled to the south of France, but didn’t feature in the matchday 17.

As for Salford, coach Rowley has only named an 18-man squad. Makin has, of course, come out of their squad and returned to parent club Wigan, whilst young forward Tiaki Chan, who is on loan from Wigan, has been allowed to face his parent club this weekend.

The Red Devils are without halfback Kai Morgan and hooker Sam Davis from their side that lost 72-10 at Wakefield Trinity last time out. Meanwhile, Joe Bullock returns for the Red Devils following a short loan stint at Barrow Raiders in the Championship, with youngsters Charlie Glover and Sam Hill available for selection.

Salford: Ryan Brierley, Nene Macdonald, Sam Stone, Joe Shorrocks, Esan Marsters, Jack Ormondroyd, Justin Sangare, Joe Bullock, Matty Foster, Chris Hankinson, Harvey Wilson, Kai Morgan, Nathan Connell, Charlie Glover, Tiaki Chan, Jonny Vaughan, Toby Warren, Sam Hill.

Wigan: Jai Field, Adam Keighran, Jake Wardle, Liam Marshall, Bevan French, Harry Smith, Ethan Havard, Brad O’Neill, Junior Nsemba, Liam Farrell, Kaide Ellis, Patrick Mago, Liam Byrne, Kruise Leeming, Tyler Dupree, Harvie Hill, Zach Eckersley, Jack Farrimond, Jacob Douglas, Harvey Makin, Kian McDermott.

The Round 13 Super League clash takes place at the Salford Community Stadium on Friday evening, 8pm kick-off. For those not in attendance, the game will be broadcast live on Sky Sports+ Red Button and Super League+.

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Sam Walters thanks the Wigan Warriors fans for their support following a game in 2025

Peet‘s side, who are on a seven-game winning streak, head to struggling Salford Red Devils on Friday night.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference on Tuesday afternoon, the Cherry and Whites head coach confirmed the prognoses for both Walters and Thompson.

The 41-year-old explained: “Sam’s fractured his fibula, so he’ll be out for an extended period. You’re probably looking at it being around the 12-week mark.

“He’s disappointed. He’s quickly tried to turn it into a positive about getting some work done on his body during this period.

“It should also mean he comes back in at the end of the year fresh and up and running.

“In one way, it protects him for the back end so he can come in and lift us again, and I think he can take a lot of confidence from his form this season. He’s been excellent.

“Luke’s broken a couple of ribs. With him, it’s going to be guided by his own pain and his recovery from that.

“We might take the chance to allow them (the broken ribs) to heal, but we’ll see how he is tomorrow.

“Tyler (Dupree) travelled to France and didn’t play and Harvie Hill performed really well in our reserves, so we are well stocked.”

Wigan’s 21-man squad for the trip to Salford will be announced on Wednesday, and Peet is still mulling over his options, with next week bringing a break in the Super League fixture schedule for the Challenge Cup final.

He said: “We’ve picked up a few knocks. We haven’t named the team yet, but it’ll certainly come into my reckoning if we can freshen lads up or if we have a few that are simply not able to play.

“We’ve not been on the field yet this week, so it might be an opportunity to allow lads to rest any injuries, but we won’t be rotating for the sake of it.”

SUPER LEAGUE legend James Graham believes Perth Bears should target Luke Thompson and Junior Nsemba as part of their first squad for the 2027 NRL season.

The Bears were given the green light to enter the prized competition for 2027 earlier this month and talk is already circulating about who the new NRL club could target as part of the coaching and playing staff.

Leeds Rhinos boss Brad Arthur is said to be the number one target for the head coaching position, whilst Warrington Wolves’ Sam Burgess and Hull KR supremo Willie Peters have also been linked.

In terms of the playing roster, former St Helens stalwart Graham feels that the Bears could take advantage of the instability over Super League’s future at present to bring stars to Australia.

On his own podcast, The Bye Round, Graham believes that Thompson and Nsemba should be looked at by Perth: “You exploit the current situation of the Super League and in terms of the dollar that we can offer and the situation that Super League finds itself in, I think no player would be off limits there.

“Even with players under contract, I think that money would talk and every player would be available for a transfer fee which the NRL would be willing to front up and pay.

“I’m looking at players like Luke Thompson who came over here and played with the Dogs then went back to England. That Wigan team that is so successful now, Junior Nsemba who has got a ridiculously long-term deal is somebody that I think we could attract.”

Wigan Warriors coach Matt Peet admits he doesn’t believe the familiar pattern that has emerged is a coincidence, but insists they are keen to kick the habit into touch sooner rather than later.

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The reigning Super League champions are the form team in the competition at the moment, having won their last six matches, and looking to make it seven on Saturday against Catalans Dragons in Perpignan.

But there is a familiar pattern that has emerged in recent months that the Warriors coach is aware of and keen to eradicate, which is taking a relatively healthy lead in games before allowing the opposition to come back into the contest in the second half.

It has happened several times so far this season – Las Vegas against Warrington Wolves (W 48-24), the Challenge Cup defeat to Hull FC (L 26-22), Magic Weekend against Warrington (W 22-20) and last time out versus Leigh Leopards (W 36-28).

Peet acknowledged that that the familiar pattern isn’t an anomaly, but it is a habit that they are keen to work on and get rid of as the season unfolds.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference ahead of Saturday’s game against Catalans, Peet opened up on the honest conversations between the playing group, who are learn from it and be better for it.

“We speak about everything, so we just have a conversation like this,” Peet said. “I don’t believe it’s a coincidence, I probably don’t believe in things like that, it’s a pattern, isn’t it?

“It’s our job to explore why it’s happened and learn from it, and see where the improvement is, what we need to adjust to change the habit or pattern. I’ve said it many times, that’s the fun part of the job.

“If every game was the same or if somebody cracked it, then you’d just be worried about becoming complacent but we’re certainly not in a position where we can be complacent, we’ve got so much to improve on and I think that’s the exciting part of it, but there is certainly a determination to change that.”

Peet admits there are little side quests which he can challenge his playing group with to help curb the pattern from continuing and to keep them more focused in matches, but it is this aspect of the game which is why Peet loves coaching: getting the best out of his players and helping them learn lessons along the way.

“I think a lot of it comes down to that, to find things to challenge the players, to motivate the players,” Peet continued. “Sometimes it’s collectively and sometimes it’s individually, but there are all sorts you can do and talk about.

“Some things really click with the players and get a reaction and response, and some don’t, but we do most things just by having open conversations about where we can improve and when I say ‘we’, it’s not just the players, it’s maybe the coaches, the way we’re delivering and practicing, what we’re accepting and what we’re not accepting, and I love that part of the job to be honest.”

Wigan’s Round 12 clash with Catalans takes place at the Stade Gilbert Brutus on Saturday evening, 5:30pm kick-off (UK time). For those not in attendance in Perpignan, the game will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Action.

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Sam Eseh (left) and Ed Chamberlain (right) applaud the Hull FC fans after a gameSam Eseh (left) and Ed Chamberlain (right) applaud the Hull FC fans after a game

Sam Eseh (left) and Ed Chamberlain (right) applaud the Hull FC fans after a game | Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com

The 6ft 4in front-rower is certainly making his presence felt when entering the action from the bench for Hull, with Cartwright saying the youngster is ‘getting better and better as each week goes by’.

Eseh is yet to make his debut for Wigan, having joined Matt Peet’s side on a two-year deal from Wakefield Trinity ahead of the 2024 campaign. The Warriors hold the option of a one-year extension to his contract for 2026, should they wish to do so.

Eseh is a loanee who Hull would like to keep long-term, although Cartwright doesn’t envisage Wigan letting him go, given his performances and potential.

Asked if the Hull club wants to make Eseh a permanent signing, Cartwright replied: “We’d like to. Obviously, he’s on Wigan’s books, so it’s a bit out of our hands. There’ll be a conversation there with him at some point, but I couldn’t see them letting Sam go anytime soon.

“It’s certainly helping us (having him now), and it’s certainly helping them (his playing time at Hull) with the depth they have. The alternative would be playing a division down or playing reserve grade at Wigan. He’s playing for us with some good players around him. It’s good for his education, and hopefully, they will leave him here as long as they can.

“He’s a lovely young kid, and he works really hard on his game. He’s only 21, so he’s got a huge career in front of him if he chooses to. He trains very hard and is a good team man. I find him very honest and a good man to have around.”

Eseh, who was born in Leeds and is of Cameroonian heritage, came through the youth ranks at Wakefield before making his first-team debut for Trinity in 2023, playing 15 games for Mark Applegarth’s side that season before making his move across the Pennines to Wigan.

The towering prop spent time on loan in the Championship with Barrow Raiders and Featherstone Rovers whilst he was at Wakefield. Last season, Eseh featured in Super League on loan for Hull, Leeds Rhinos and Castleford Tigers whilst at parent club Wigan, extending his loan spell with Hull into this year, where he is now producing consistent performances in the middle.

As aforementioned, Wigan have the option to exercise a one-year option in Eseh’s contract for the 2026 next season.

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