Wigan Warriors: Matt Peet says latest signings show club’s ‘ambitious vision for the future’
Tiaki Chan, Kruise Leeming and Sam Walters will all join Wigan Warriors next season
Wigan Warriors coach Matt Peet believes the club’s recent trio of signings shows the club’s ‘vision and ambition for the future’.
On Sunday night following their 26-6 win at Salford, Wigan announced the signing of experienced hooker Kruise Leeming on a four-year contract from next season.
And they followed up that news on Monday morning, with the signings of young forwards Sam Walters (Leeds) and Tiaki Chan (Catalans) both on three-year deals from 2024.
“It’s exciting,” Peet said in his weekly press conference. “I think it shows the club’s vision for the future, ambitious, knowing that we want to improve.
“I’m really pleased with the type of player and person that we’ve managed to recruit and will continue to do so.
“They’ve got different attributes but there’s a few they have in common as well in that they are competitors, live good lives away from rugby league and will add to the club away from the field, which is very important, and they are all very open minded with how they can improve.
“I believe those three new faces will add something to the squad but that’s for next year.”
Wigan Warriors boss Matt Peet on ‘fantastic’ Kruise Leeming and promising forwards
Peet was delighted that the Warriors won the race to sign Challenge Cup winner Leeming, whilst saying Walters and Chan ‘have their best years ahead of them’.
On Leeming, Peet said: “He’s a fantastic player and became available.
“There are other clubs at the top of Super League vying for these best players and you’ve got to be in the fight when certain players become available.
“He’s one that we’ve earmarked for a while who fits the criteria on and off the field and he’ll add to the healthy competition through the spine.”
On Walters and Chan, Peet added: “The pair of them have got their best years ahead of them.
“We’ve seen glimpses of their potential, particularly Sam in recent weeks. He’s shown what he’s capable of and he’s a lad we’ve known of for a very long time.
“He’s a Widnes junior and we discussed going for him when he first went over to Leeds but it wasn’t to be and he’s someone we’ve tracked and I feel like we’re getting him at the perfect time now.”
Matt Peet provides recruitment update
Peet also revealed the Warriors would be looking to further bolster their roster ahead of the 2024 campaign, but insisted they have to be the right fit for the club.
He added: “I couldn’t give you a number (of more signings) but there are a number of areas that we need to strengthen – key areas.
“We’re going to be smart and ambitious and we are going to get the right people should they become available but we won’t bring people in just to fill a gap, they’ve got to add something and I’ll stress again: on and off the field.”