Wigan coach delivers positive Jake Wardle injury update as team-mate’s season over
Jake Wardle in action for Wigan Warriors in 2026
Wigan Warriors expect Jake Wardle to feature in the play-offs in a big boost, but fellow centre George O’Loughlin has seen his season ended by a quad injury.
Wardle was a shock omission from the team sheet at Headingley on Saturday night as Wigan took on Leeds Rhinos in a battle of Super League’s top two.
The England international pulled his calf in training in the build-up to that mammoth clash, and his initial prognosis had been anywhere up to five weeks, meaning he would have been pushing it close to play again this year.
But now, Wigan boss Matt Peet has explained that Wardle could return as soon as their play-off semi-final, which will come over the weekend of September 25 and 26.
Wigan coach delivers positive Jake Wardle injury update as team-mate George O’Loughlin’s season over
Having thumped Leeds in their own backyard last weekend, the Warriors now only need to avoid defeat at home against Catalans Dragons in Friday night’s regular season concluder to wrap up the Super League Leaders’ Shield.
In Tuesday morning’s pre-match press conference, head coach Peet explained on Wardle: “We’re in a semi-final.
“(His return) would potentially come in the semi, then if not, the Grand Final.”
Youngster O’Loughlin, the son of Wigan icon and current assistant coach Sean, would have been the expected replacement for Wardle last weekend.
As well as featuring three times on loan for Championship outfit Salford this season, O’Loughlin has played four first-team games for the Cherry and Whites and been an unused interchange/18th man on four other occasions.
Austin Daniel was named instead though, and Peet has now confirmed: “George pulled his quad, he’ll not play again this year.”
Elsewhere, last weekend’s win at Headingley brought the long-awaited return of back-rower Junior Nsemba.
Having been sidelined since early July with a hamstring injury, he featured off the bench at Headingley, but may well return to the starting 13 on Friday night against Catalans.
Peet detailed: “He was fit enough to start last week. I wasn’t given guidelines by the physios (on gamete), it wasn’t one of those.
“I just thought Kian (McDermott) was doing well and it would give Junior more chance of playing a high standard knowing he wasn’t playing the full 80. He’s good to go.
“He was very good (against Leeds), he got the basics of his game right. I was really pleased, he brought something to the game, for sure.”
