Wigan Warriors welcome back duo with Liam Farrell recruitment plan given

Matt Peet has admitted both Jack Farrimond and Noah Hodkinson could be available for selection as Wigan Warriors’ play-off campaign begins.

The young duo have been on the sidelines through injury, with Farrimond out since July with a hamstring injury and Hodkinson unavailable due to a quad injury picked up in August.

Both players excelled with the opportunity given to them earlier in the year and while their injuries cast doubts on their availability for the rest of the season, both are in with a shout of being in contention ahead of the semi-finals.

That said, Peet conceded that both were unlikely to be selected at this stage of the year unless injuries to players who have been playing more regularly in the run-up to the finals were to arise.

It gives Peet further selection headaches of the right sort to deal with but he said: “That’s testament to Taylor (Kerr), Kian (McDermott) and Austin (Daniel). Jack and Noah could come into the mix in the next few weeks.

“I think because they’ve not been playing, if we weren’t to get further injuries, I probably wouldn’t draw on them. But if we need them, they would be available.”

One player who won’t be available is Oli Wilson, who has missed the entire season with an Achilles injury. There had been some suggestions he may be cleared before the end of the campaign, but that hasn’t materialised.

“He needs a proper pre-season,” Peet said. “But he’s been fantastic. I think he’d run through a brick wall for us at the moment. He’s been great, but no.”

Wilson was one of Wigan’s rare recruits in recent years, with the club instead continuing to promote from within. With the likes of Liam Farrell and Sam Eseh departing at the end of the year, Peet admitted external additions are unlikely again.

“Obviously, we get the phone calls with the agents and the emails through with the lists on. It’s always a really simple conversation for me. We’re not in. I end up chatting to other coaches about their recruitment because it’s quite exciting and we’re not competing for players. I think I just enjoy fantasy football. You need to get your transfer fix that way.”

“I was watching the game back the weekend and they said that we hadn’t signed a player from overseas for five seasons, I think since Kaide Ellis, which surprised me. We’ve still signed a couple of lads in that time, like Adam (Keighran). It’s the way it is.”