Wigan Warriors reveal 2026 squad numbers with academy star handed key role

Louis Chapman Coombe

05 Jan 2026 10:28 AM

Wigan Warriors have confirmed their squad numbers for the 2026 season, with young gun Zach Eckersley handed a major promotion.

The 22-year-old outside back, who can play centre, wing and full-back, has quickly become a mainstay in the Warriors’ side in the past two seasons, making 16 appearances in 2024 and 24 in 2025, and will now take over the number two jersey from Abbas Miski.

Elsewhere, new recruits Oliver Wilson, Jonny Vaughan, Dayon Sambou, and Finn McMillan have all been handed shirts outside of the intial 17, with Wilson donning 21, Vaughan 31, Sambou 32 and McMillan 35.

Wigan Warriors reveal 2026 squad numbers with major calls made

Eckersley isn’t the only player handed a major squad number promotion this season by Matt Peet, either.

Sam Walters will now wear number 14, moving up from the number 21 shirt he wore in 2025, while Jack Farrimond and Kian McDermott also climb the ladder to wear 19 and 23, respectively. In 2025, they wore 24 and 33.

Tom Forber, Harvey Makin, Taylor Kerr, Lukas Mason, Nathan Lowe, Lukas Mason, Noah Hodkinson and George Hirst also move up the ranks for 2026, with Forber wearing 22, Makin 24, Kerr 25, Lowe 26, Mason 27, Hodkinson 28 and Hirst 30.

Sam Eseh, who impressed during his loan stint at Hull FC, also moves to number 20 after initially being handed the number 25 shirt last year.

There is a familiar feel to the Warriors’ initial 13, though, with only Eckersley coming into the top order.

Around that, Patrick Mago, the aforementioned Miski and Krusie Leeming also feature in the top 17, with Mago and Leeming keeping their respective 15 and 17 jerseys while Miski will wear 16 for the new season.

Tiaki Chan, George O’Loughlin, Finlay Yeomans and Finn McMillan round off the grouping, wearing 29, 33, 34 and 35.

In keeping with tradition, the number 18 shirt has been handed to the Warriors fans.