What Matt Peet expects from injury-hit Wire at Magic Weekend

Yahoo

01-05-2025

DESPITE the injuries they have in key positions, Wigan Warriors head coach Matt Peet still expects to face an 'excellent' Warrington Wolves side at Magic Weekend.
And if anything, he says he will prepare his side to face a more focused Wire outfit in Newcastle on Sunday.
Warrington will be without both of their first-choice half-backs – skipper George Williams and scrum-half Marc Sneyd – and leading try-scorer Matty Ashton for the trip to Tyneside, while several other players are believed to be injury doubts.
They overcame the adversity of losing Sneyd, Ashton and second-rower Lachlan Fitzgibbon to in-game injuries to beat St Helens last time out, but they will go into the clash with the defending champions as underdogs.
That does not wash much with Peet, who insists anyone writing Sam Burgess' side off is doing so unwisely.
'I think they've had a bit of inconsistency in the spine area with injuries and whatnot, but they've kept winning and competing and I think that's testament to the team spirit,' he said at his weekly pre-match press conference.
'I think they're very tenacious – I just think they're littered with good athletes and quality players but I think they commit to one another, and they find a way.
'I'd like to say that we always concentrate on ourselves – obviously you talk about opposition key threats as well and it probably just means we won't spend as much time doing that.
'We'll concentrate on ourselves even more and we'll know whoever Warrington throw in there, they'll have a great plan. They're well coached and they'll commit to it.
'I've seen many times over the years across the league – I can relate to it where you are missing a player or two in those key positions and it narrows your focus a little bit of what you want to commit to.
'You can get some great wins doing that, so we'll be expecting an excellent Warrington and I think that's what we'll get.'
Peet also outlined where he feels The Wire's biggest threats are, picking out two of their overseas stars for particular praise.
'I think Matty Dufty is up there as one of the best players in the competition,' he said.
'He's developed his game under Sam, Martin (Gleeson) and Richard (Marshall) so I'd think you'd have to mention him, but I think their outside-backs are very athletic and they've got some experienced forwards led by Paul Vaughan.
'They're a well-balanced team and despite their injuries, they are in a great position in the league and are still in the cup, so they're doing well and it'll be a full-blooded game.'