Zak Hardaker will officially resume his playing career this Sunday.
Wigan have confirmed that the fullback will feature for the first time since testing positive for cocaine in September 2017 this weekend, when they travel across Lancashire to face Super League rivals Salford Red Devils.
The reigning Super League champions have two friendlies this weekend, with Adrian Lam’s side playing London Skolars 48 hours earlier in the traditional Capital Challenge.
However, it will be against Salford on Sunday when Hardaker makes his long-awaited comeback.
It will be a younger Wigan side who heads to the capital on Friday – though experienced names such as Morgan Escare and Romain Navarrete are included in the squad to face the League 1 side.
Interestingly, the French duo are also named in the squad for the Salford fixture – with a much stronger-looking Wigan side being fielded in that game against Ian Watson’s side.
Wigan squad to face London Skolars on Friday: Joe Brown, Joe Bullock, Liam Byrne, Morgan Escaré, Callum Field, Ryan Forshaw, Liam Forsyth, Josh Ganson, Sam Halsall, Chris Hankinson, Samy Kibula, Ben Kilner, Craig Mullen, Romain Navarrete, Oliver Partington, Max Roberts, Aiden Roden, Jake Sculthorpe, Jake Shorrocks, Joe Shorrocks, Harry Smith, Morgan Smithies, James Worthington.
Wigan squad to face Salford Red Devils on Sunday: Joe Bullock, Liam Byrne, Tony Clubb, Tom Davies, Morgan Escaré, Liam Farrell, Ben Flower, Oliver Gildart, Joe Greenwood, Gabe Hamlin, Chris Hankinson, Zak Hardaker, Willie Isa, Tommy Leuluai, Dom Manfredi, Liam Marshall, Romain Navarrete, Liam Paisley, Oliver Partington, Sam Powell, Jarrod Sammut, Dan Sarginson, Jake Shorrocks, George Williams.
