Ex-Wigan Warriors star Oliver Gildart reportedly set for stunning new club move for 2023

Former Wigan Warriors star Oliver Gildart has found the NRL difficult going in 2022 so far.

Despite playing the first eight games of the year in a Wests Tigers’ shirt, Gildart found himself dropped to the reserves following a number of difficult performances.

In a bid to boost his chances of earning a spot in Shaun Wane’s England squad for the World Cup at the end of the year, the skilful centre had been looking for a new route into a first-team.

That almost saw him make a sensational move to the Leeds Rhinos last month, but head coach Rohan Smith was unable to get him across the line after contact with Wests.

That being said, Gildart did engineer a move to the Sydney Roosters where he will spend the rest of the season on loan before returning to Wests where he is contracted until 2023.

However, according to the Daily Telegraph, it is understood that the ex-Wigan man will be heading to the Dolphins for 2023 after he was linked with a move to Wayne Bennett’s new NRL club in mid-July.

Wests Tigers chief executive, Justin Pascoe, said on the move to Sydney: “This works for Oliver, and it works for us as well. So strategically, it makes sense,” Wests Tigers CEO Justin Pascoe said.

“Oliver will return to us after this short loan and begin preparing for 2023.”

Gildart will, however, be hoping for a crack in the Sydney team in a bid to earn a spot in the World Cup side, and, he did his chances no harm with a massive five-try haul for the Roosters’ feeder team, the North Sydney Bears, at the weekend.

Gildart scored five tries in the Bears’ 60-4 win over the Knights and also registered five linebreaks, four tackle busts and 156 running metres in what proved to be a fine performance from the Englishman.

Of course, if the move to the Dolphins does go through, Gildart will reunite with former England and Great Britain coach Bennett.