Wigan Warriors coach lauds Warrington Wolves’ quality as star paid huge compliment
Wigan Warriors head coach Matt Peet
Wigan Warriors boss Matt Peet has hailed the quality Warrington Wolves have at their disposal, labelling Paul Vaughan ‘as good as any front-rower in Super League’ ahead of the pair’s latest battle.
The Warriors, who have already beaten Warrington once this year in Las Vegas, travel to the Halliwell Jones Stadium on Friday night.
Thanks to neighbours Leigh Leopards’ slip-up at home against Leeds Rhinos on Thursday night, Peet’s side could extend the gap to third place out to three competition points with a win in Cheshire.
Wigan go up against a Wire side not too dissimilar from the one which finished 3rd last year and came within minutes of a Grand Final appearance.
But with seven rounds remaining this term, they sit four competition points off the pace of the play-offs and if they are to pull a rabbit out of the bag to reach the top six, Friday night’s clash appears to be the last chance saloon for them.
Wigan Warriors coach lauds Warrington Wolves’ quality as star paid huge compliment
Sam Burgess’ side have lost back-to-back games at Castleford Tigers and Leigh, but the loss at the Leopards’ Den last week brought marked signs of improvement.
Speaking in his pre-match press conference on Tuesday afternoon, Wigan head coach Peet had plenty of praise for Wire, as he detailed: “They’ve got an outstanding, talented spine and Paul Vaughan is as good as any front-rower in the competition.
“(Ryan) Matterson has added something and Danny Walker compliments Sam Powell really well.
“Whenever Warrington put a team on the field in Super League you know that it’s going to be a challenge for anyone.
“They’re a team we have plenty of respect for. They’ve had some tough periods with injuries, which they look to be coming out of a little bit.
“I just think they’ve had some rotten luck at times, but generally they’ve been very competitive and there’s no doubting their star talent.”
Despite their struggles in Super League this term, Warrington reached the Challenge Cup final for a second year on the spin.
Having been beaten convincingly by Wigan under the Wembley arch in June 2024, they delivered a much better account of themselves in the capital where they this time around had their hearts broken by a last-gasp Hull KR try.
Peet continued: “They’ve recruited a few players during the season. With players like Marc Sneyd, Ryan Matterson and (Sam) Stone coming in, it’s probably took some time to bed them in.
“But it just shows how ambitious they are as a club and the quality they’ve got.
“The most important indicator for where they’re at is how they performed last week (at Leigh), and I thought it was a performance they’d have taken a lot of pride from.”
FRIDAY’S READS ON LRL
👉 George Ford switch to Oldham teased if Super League promotion achieved as ambition outlined
👉 Sky Sports pair question ‘pie in the sky’ Super League expansion talk
👉 Where would this line-up of Wigan Warriors academy graduates finish in Super League?
👉 Leigh Leopards coach bemoans controversial video referee decision following Leeds Rhinos defeat
