Wigan Warriors have been dealt a huge blow today with two of their stars handed large bans from the Match Review Panel.
Both Harry Smith and Sam Walters have been given three-match bans following separate incidents in Wigan’s Challenge Cup victory over Wakefield Trinity.
Smith, after the viral incident that saw Trinity man Jazz Tevaga kick Liam Marshall, has been given three games for pushing an injured, or a seemingly injured, Tevaga on the floor.
The MRP have been very strict with players making contact with potentially injured players in the past, and Smith has suffered the wrath of the disciplinary committee.
Walters meanwhile will sit out the next three due to a head butt on Wakefield captain Jay Pitts. The incident was missed by the officials in real time, but replays showing the incident caught Walters in the act.
Wigan have three games prior to their Challenge Cup semi-final fixture with St Helens, but the two still need replacing for upcoming games against Castleford, Warrington and Bradford.
So, how do Wigan Warriors replace such pivotal players?
With Bevan French still injured, the halves is now somewhat of a concern for Matt Peet’s men, with their playmaking options down to the bare bones.
Jack Farrimond is French’s replacement, and is doing well in his absence, but with no other specialist halves in the side the 19-year-old undoubtedly needs experience next to him.
Whilst Wigan could go with another youngster, and George Marsden could be that option given him and Jack Farrimond have partnered in the reserves before, the Warriors should be going for someone more senior.
Both Adam Keighran and Jai Field would be those players having played in the halves before. Albeit mostly in the Australian reserve grade, Field has played there 75 times in his career, including six for Wigan but none since 2023. The Warriors won five of those matches.
Keighran has played for Wigan in the halves more recently, doing so three times in both 2024 and 2025. Field is by far more pivotal at full-back than Keighran is at centre, so Keighran should be the one to move, but with Noah Hodkinson’s arrival and Wigan’s lack of starting centres, Peet might be more comfortable moving Field into the halves now they have a trusted full-back in reserve.
Wigan Warriors spine options after Harry Smith blow
Option A: Noah Hodkinson (full-back), Jai Field (stand-off) and Jack Farrimond (half-back)
Option B: Jai Field (full-back), Adam Keighran (stand-off) and Jack Farrimond (half-back)
Option C: Jai Field (full-back), George Marsden (stand-off) and Jack Farrimond (half-back)
Moving on to Walters’ replacement, given the spine looks as though there will be some big changes Peet will want to keep the rest of the team as unchanged as possible.
Liam Farrell could move back into his natural position and Dayon Sambou or Jonny Vaughan gets a chance, but forward youngsters such as Lukas Mason or Finn McMillan could be awarded their Super League debuts.
