IT’S fair to say that the Wigan Warriors enjoyed a brilliant 2022 under the stewardship of new head coach Matt Peet.
After taking over from Adrian Lam following a disappointing 2021 Super League season, Peet galvanised the Warriors with the help of assistants Lee Briers and Sean O’Loughlin as well as Shaun Wane as leadership coach.
In fact, the new team’s impact was felt so suddenly that Wigan lifted the Challenge Cup trophy after defeating the Huddersfield Giants in a tense finale at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium – and that was after a superb semi-final win over St Helens.
Although Wigan’s play-off hopes came crashing down following defeat to Grand Final runners-up Leeds Rhinos, it was a superb first year in charge for Peet – and now all eyes are on 2023 to see if the former Wigan youth coach can replicate that stunning success.
Two new signings have made the move to the DW Stadium in the off-season in the shape of Toby King and Jake Wardle, whilst Mike Cooper joined towards the back end of 2022.
As good as those new recruits are, however, they pale in comparison to that of tying superstar Bevan French to a new deal after months of speculation.
French had been heavily linked with a move back to the NRL with the Newcastle Knights repeatedly being named as the destination, but Wigan managed to pull off arguably one of the greatest signatures in recent Super League history.
The ex-Parramatta Eels star has signed a two-year deal with the option of another two years as Wigan look to build their team around both French and Jai Field.
It really is an incredible coup and one which will have major consequences for the rest of Super League going forward – especially with Wardle and King in the centres and Harry Smith and Cade Cust in the halves.
It is certainly an exciting time to be a Wigan fan.
