By everyone’s own admission who is involved with Wigan, it has been an incredibly emotional week.
It is now public knowledge that coach Shaun Wane will end a 30-year association with the Warriors come the end of this season – and given the amount of spotlight placed on that story this week, it is fairly easy to forget Wigan actually have a game of rugby to play tonight.
The Warriors’ trip to Hull KR has understandably been barely discussed this weekend – but Liam Farrell is keen to stress that Wigan will be able to put their emotions surrounding Wane’s impending exit to one side and get back to business tonight.
He said: “We’ve spoke about not letting the emotional side come into things. Waney’s first words were that we had to deal with it and get on with our jobs. Until the end of the year we’re all pulling in the same direction and Waney will lead the way with that. It can be a tough place to go if we’re not right.
“We had a day to process it on Monday and we have to ensure this doesn’t distract us for the rest of the year, including the Hull KR trip. We’ve put ourselves into a good position – we have to make sure we don’t ruin that.”
For Farrell, the split from Wane will be extra tough – having worked with him closely ever since his first-team debut.
“He’s been at the club a long time and coached me a long time, but all good things come to an end,” he said. “He’s thinking he wants to challenge himself with something else and he’s made a decision to do so. I think he’ll find something.
“I was very surprised; the lads came in on Monday and we were only told then. The room was silent for around five minutes afterwards, and the lads were so disappointed because of the kind of character he is and how he treats us.
“It’s very disappointing he’s leaving. I couldn’t put into words what he’s done for me; it’s pretty unbelievable. There’s not many coaches done much more than him so he can hold his head high and leave on a good note – but we’ve got a chance to win some things and send him out on a high.”
And with eyes not only on this year, but who the new man in charge may be in 2019, Farrell admits there is potentially an extra desire to impress Wane’s successor – wherever in the world he may be watching from.
He said: “It gets people a little anxious about what the future will hold, but I think all the lads are relaxed in that sense. We’re in a good place at the minute and if we keep going this way, whoever comes in will have a pretty easy job, I think.”