Super League side Wigan Warriors will have a dual-registration link with Championship outfit Newcastle Thunder in the 2022 season.
Wigan’s young talent will be able to get game time with the north-east club next term through the arrangement, while it will provide a boost to Newcastle’s squad in turn.
Thunder are running a full-time squad this season, while they are coached by Eamon O’Carroll with Denis Betts in place as director of rugby, two former Warriors players.
The two clubs have already announced a pre-season friendly to be played at Kingston Park in the New Year and their relationship has now been taken further, to the pleasure of both head coaches.
“We’ve got a good relationship with Thunder, so they’ll be our partner club this year,” said Wigan boss Peet.
“The pre-season game is part of that as well as us sharing ideas with Denis and Eamon about best practice, they will take things from here but also we’ll learn from them. I’m sure you’ll see a few of our players playing for Newcastle this year as players like Sam Halsall did last year.
“The way Sam was looked after, it proved to us that Newcastle was a strong club, a caring club and one we want to do more with going forward.”
Newcastle’s O’Carroll added: “Certainly for us the quality of players that we may be able to bring in from Wigan, I saw that today from people who have just joined the first team, they’re learning every day and they’re around good players.
“From our point of view, we offer the opportunity for the players to still remain in a full-time environment and also the opportunity for them to get out of this environment with some exposure to a different setting.”