Wigan Warriors icon says club ‘bigger than 80s heyday’ after Las Vegas trip

Martin Offiah believes Wigan Warriors’ ambitious foray into America has grown the club’s profile even bigger than it was during their heyday three decades ago.

The Cherry and Whites recently spent a week in Las Vegas to play Warrington Wolves in the first Super League fixture to be staged stateside.

Club ambassador Offiah was in Sin City with the Wigan hierarchy, interacting with fans, attending functions, doing media work and even giving head coach Matt Peet feedback during team meetings.

The legendary former winger says the profile of last season’s quadruple champions, amid growing links with the NRL, has put them on a pedestal.

Offiah said: “Wigan were big in my day. Nationally within the country, the profile of the club and myself individually was massive. But now we’re going to a different level and I feel much more warmth from Australia which I’m not sure existed back then. 

“Coming to Las Vegas put Wigan Warriors and Super League on the global map alongside the NRL. Now it’s time to go to the next level.”

Offiah is fondly remembered for scoring tries for fun when Wigan were in their all-conquering pomp during the early to mid-Nineties. This is his third year as Warriors ambassador and, although the role is part-time, his week in Vegas was full-on.

The experience stirred Offiah’s memories and reaffirmed his love for the club, particularly after they thumped Warrington Wolves 48-24 at the Allegiant Stadium on March 1.

“It’s been so great to be here this past week,” said an emotional Offiah when we meet in Vegas two days after the game.

“I’ve caught up with so many legends of the game, such as Andrew Ettinghausen and Mal Meninga, and swapped stories about those great times in the 1980s and 90s.

“I was speaking to Mal and Ricky Stuart about when I was in the treatment room after Mal fell on my knee during the second Ashes Test at Old Trafford in 1990.

“I had gone off injured when Ricky made that break and sent Mal over for the winning try. That was down my wing and had I still be on, I don’t think Australia score that try!

“Me and ET (Ettinghausen) were talking about the 1992 Ashes series when he tackled me and I then got around him, and reminiscing about when he played for Leeds when I was at Widnes.

“I spoke with Ricky Stuart and Laurie Daley about when Widnes beat Canberra in the 1989 World Club Challenge, plus the Ashes battles I had with them including that 1990 series. 

“It’s been such great fun and the whole vibe out here has been amazing all week.”

Offiah did a podcast with Matty Johns and his son Cooper and was a special guest on the Fletch & Hindy show on Fox League.

“I also had a good laugh with James Graham,” said the ex-Great Britain international, who scored a remarkable 501 career tries.

“He said he absolutely hated me when I was a player because obviously he grew up supporting St Helens and Wigan were so good!”

During his time stateside, Offiah met a Wigan couple who were getting married. He also flew down the zip lines at Fremont Street with chief executive Kris Radlinski, earning him the new nickname ‘Martin O’Flyer’.

Offiah joined the Warriors squad on the red carpet at a huge fans festival in front of thousands of supporters at Fremont Street.

Rugby league royalty, Offiah is based in his native London but is now more closely connected to Wigan than at any point since leaving the club in 1996.

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“Before the 2010 Grand Final, Michael Maguire asked me to write a message for the team and those words are now on a sign in the players’ gym at Robin Park,” said Offiah.

“Madge has been texting me this week to say ‘it’s great that you’re involved with Wigan again’ and, having come on board as an ambassador in 2022, I absolutely love it.

“Rugby league is all about friendships and connections and being in Vegas with the club, and meeting so many friends old and new, has illustrated that.

“A friend of mine called Roger Godsie lives in Orlando and flew to Vegas for the game.

“I got him a Wigan jersey, he said how incredible rugby league is and Roger’s now a Wigan fan… and he’s someone who knew nothing about it beforehand!

“He said he would come to Vegas every year now and I’m thinking ‘wow’.

“I’ve been engaging with Super League and NRL fans from so many different clubs and that’s great because it shows how much rugby league means to people.

“It illustrates the strength of the sport and we can make rugby league a world game and Vegas can be the showpiece – just look how loud the Wigan fans were against Warrington.

“They outsang everyone and that’s been picked up on out here in Vegas.

“When I went on stage at the Matty Johns Show, I got booed by the Warrington fans who were there!

“Again, it shows the passion that people have for the game.”

Midway through last season, Offiah boldly predicted that Peet would go on to become the greatest coach in Wigan’s illustrious history.

A few months later, the Warriors were celebrating a glorious grand slam and being crowned Team of the Year at the BBC SPOTY awards.

“I called it!” quipped 59-year-old Offiah. “Matty Peet is a deep thinker and a connector of souls. He talks to their greater why rather than what shapes they run – he puts the spiritual side first.

“In the team meeting he was asking his men various questions before he turned to me and said ‘What do you think, Martin?’ I was blown away by that as Matty’s players started listening to me.

“But this is a new age of coaching and is why all the staff have been tied down on very long-term deals. It’s exciting times for Wigan Warriors.”