‘Watch this space’ warns Warrington Wolves chief with new signings teased amid exciting academy update

Warrington Wolves director of rugby Gary Chambers has spoken on the club’s upcoming recruitment with signings seemingly imminent.

Chambers, who took interim charge of the club following Daryl Powell’s departure midway through 2023, now has a major off-field role overseeing all matter of things at the club.

He was previously the club’s head of youth and he spoke about the young Wire’s successful season, noting it as something positive that the cub have to take out of what has been an otherwise disappointing year.

The reserves lost the Grand Final to Leeds Rhinos before the academy then defeated the Rhinos a week later to cap off an unbeaten season, and Chambers has claimed it’s now about finding ways to blood those players in.

Speaking on the club’s official channels, he said: “It’s all about physical development because skill development, Ewan Irwin and all that group of people are as skillful as anyone but we need to get that physical development into them to get them up to speed.”

As for the future of that group and their contracts, Chambers said: “(We’re) nearly done with them all and it’s important that we keep them all. It’s also important that they have the right package, be that education or monetary so it’s all a bit different for different players. We’re pretty much done and have no intention of losing any of our youth coming through.”

Warrington Wolves director teases new signings

Whilst the youth aspect at Warrington is certainly positive, the senior team had far less to cheer about in 2025 with another Challenge Cup defeat before an end-of-season collapse saw the Wolves finish seven points shy of the play-offs.

Sam Burgess has recently assessed the season and noted that both player and staff reviews would be undertaken, something that Chambers has affirmed.

He explained: “Staff reviews are currently underway and we’ve just had a board meeting to provide structure for the next few months on what needs to happen and we have a really good line on where we need to be, and what needs to happen between now and the season starting.”

Also before the season starts, Wire need to add more bodies to their team with a large number departing and four signings confirmed so far in Tevita Pangai Jr, Liam Byrne, Toafofoa Sipley, and Albert Hopoate.

Hopoate is the latest of those recruits and it seems that Chambers was teasing his arrival, plus that of others, in within the final line of statement.

“We went out and looked at good people to be around the young players we’re bringing through,” Chambers admitted, before pointing to what areas or recruitment they’re looking at.

“We’ve got some size in there which we needed and we’ve got some experience. We’re pretty excited about what they’ll bring and they’ll get us on the front foot and allow us to play an expansive way, like we started in 2024.”

He also teased: “We should have some announcements soon. There’s a couple of things in the pipeline that we think we’re pretty close to getting over the line.

“Watch this space over the next day or two and I’ll get back to you but we’re pretty close, especially on one deal.”

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