Gildart relishing battle with the tank on the flank

Oliver Gildart is looking forward to locking horns with Salford Red Devils winger Justin Carney in the game at the DW Stadium tonight. 

The 19 year-old was a late inclusion into the Warriors team for the World Club Series game against the Brisbane Broncos last weekend following the facial injury to Josh Charnley. 

The centre operated on the wing as the Broncos claimed a 42-12 victory against Gildart’s side, and the youngster admitted to it being a learning opportunity for himself ahead of this week’s game against Carney and the Red Devils, the club in which he made his Super League debut.

“You have to play against the best to test yourself,” Gildart told WiganToday.net.

“The Brisbane game was a learning curve for me, and I’m looking forward to this challenge too. Justin is really strong, it’s about being at my best and closing him down as quickly as I can.”

The Wigan-born player was only told of his involvement in the game at the last minue, and said the experience as a whole was one he will cherish, despite the disappointment in the result.

“I always dreamed of playing against an NRL club so it was a bit surreal,” he said.

“It was a great opportunity to test myself, it was good to play against them. I’ve never really on the wing, other than 10 minutes here and there but I trained there in pre-season so I understand the position. There were a couple of errors in me, which I need to practice.”

Gildart is to make his second appearance of the season against the club in which he made his Super League debut, the Salford Red Devils, a loan spell in which Gildart says worked in his favour.

“I really enjoyed it at Salford,” he said.

“It got me in good stead to come back to Wigan and settled some nerves, so it was definitely beneficial.”