Matt Peet’s classy words on Leigh Leopards as borough lauded ahead of crunch play-off tie

Wigan Warriors boss Matt Peet has lauded the efforts of local rivals Leigh Leopards ahead of their upcoming semi-final clash at The Brick Community Stadium, saying the event will serve as a ‘celebration of the borough’.

The two sides, whose home grounds are separated by just eight miles, lock horns for the fourth time this year on Friday night in the Super League play-off semi-finals.

It’s a repeat of their tie at the same stage last season, which saw the Warriors walk away 38-0 victors en-route to clinching the Super League title for the second year on the spin.

Both sides also come into the game in good form, with each winning their past five in Super League.

Friday night’s hosts earned a week without a game after finishing second on the ladder, while Leigh had to overcome Wakefield Trinity in last weekend’s play-off eliminator.

‘Anything short of our best, and we’ll fall short’

That win over Wakefield has put Wigan on high alert heading into this play-off tie at The Brick, and head coach Peet called for his side to be at their absolute best come Friday night.

“They’re certainly playing well,” he said. “They’ve been consistent and performed to a high standard, not just throughout the season, but in games too. They have some of the best players in the competition.

“Anything short of our best, and we’ll fall short.”

His words come amid the backdrop of previous defeats against the Leopards, who hold the edge over the Warriors in 2025.

The Leythers secured a famous 1-0 win over Wigan at The Brick back in Round 1, and also beat them in their most recent outing back in July as they secured an 18-8 win.

Wigan have claimed just a solitary leopard-print scalp thus far in 2025, coming away with a 36-28 win on home soil in May, but Peet is still fully aware of the threats posed by Adrian Lam’s men.

“They’re a good team,” Peet said of the Leopards.

“We were well-beaten (in July), but there are lessons both teams will learn from the past fixtures. On both of those occasions, they were excellent.

“They competed very hard, completed high and kicked really well. They’ve got enough quality that they can always threaten you.”

‘They’ve been a consistently competitive team, but they’ve consistently got better and better…. the credit goes to the club’

This second semi-final against their nearest and dearest is yet another reflection of the continued improvement at Leigh since their promotion back to the top-flight, and Peet identified the key factors that have lead to that dramatic climb to Super League’s top table.

“They’ve been a consistently competitive team, but they’ve consistently got better and better.

“The credit goes to the club for how they’ve recruited very intelligently, and also the way they’ve developed the players they’ve got and the young players that have gone over there; Umyla (Hanley), Keanan Brand and Owen Trout, for example.

“They’ve taken players, and through coaching and guidance, they’ve improved. When you twin that with smart, aggressive recruitment and retention and the job that the coaches have done, that’s what every club strives for.”

While both sides will be hoping to get one over their local rivals, especially with a spot at Old Trafford on the line for the victor, but this will be yet another remarkable celebration of the two towns off the pitch.

Leigh have already sold out their initial away ticket allocation, with 13,000 tickets sold at the time of writing across the ground.

“It’ll be outstanding,” Peet said.

“As much as it’s a contest and a competition, it’s a celebration of the borough and the quality of both organisations – not just teams.

“What Leigh have done, it’s always been a special fixture and it’s always had a rivalry, but when we’re meeting each other in semi-finals and highlight games in the season, it just adds to it.”

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