Warrington Wolves youngster Ewan Irwin has outlined his 2026 goals after signing a huge five-year deal despite the teen gaining NRL interest.
Irwin, who is yet to turn 18, has committed his future to Warrington Wolves by signing a deal that keeps him at the club until at least 2030, with that new deal coming amid NRL interest.
There will have been plenty of eyes on Irwin just based on what he did in England in 2025, helping guide Wire’s academy to an unbeaten league season and Grand Final win, whilst also making three senior appearances.
However, his showings down under when Warrington Wolves academy toured Australia also caught the eye with Wire losing just once and racking up wins against their respective age group teams of Penrith Panthers, Gold Coast Titans and New South Wales.
There have been reports of NRL interest and it’s easy to see why but Wire have fended off any Australian clubs and retained him, leaving the teenager “excited” for what’s to come.
Warrington Wolves youngster keen to “crack on” after signing new deal
He’s been handed the number 18 first team shirt for 2026 but it’s likely that Irwin will get some game time in the academy given the fact he is still only 17, and he spoke on that and his new deal to club media.
The teen said: “I’m really excited for the challenges that are coming. I’ve finally got it sorted out so I’m ready now just to crack on and play the game.
“It’s a very special group and I’ve loved every minute playing with them. A few have left but hopefully, we can still have the connections for next year.”
As for the team’s tour of Australia, where Irwin was namechecked as a standout by former Warrington Wolves star Andrew Johns who came into camp to coach the young Wires, Irwin admitted: “It was a once in a lifetime opportunity really, especially against New South Wales. You want to play the best teams and we definitely got it, it was a great challenge.”
On Johns, he said: “He’s a dead down to earth guy who knows absolutely everything and if I can take just a little bit from his game then I’ll be very happy.”
As for his 2025 debut when he became the third youngest Warrington player to play in the Super League era, Irwin was clearly delighted but he set out a marker of intent which signifies maturity beyond his years.
He admitted: “It’s nice isn’t it but you don’t want just one game, you want a long time in the league. It’s nice to have but let’s see where it can take me this year.”
“Unbelievable” to learn from Sneyd and Williams, states teen star
As referenced above, Irwin will likely play for the reserves and academy most of the year but he will certainly get some senior game time behind the likes of George Williams and Marc Sneyd.
Oli Leyland and Leon Hayes are also part of that position group though Leyland is still recovering from injury, however, the competition doesn’t phase Irwin.
He said: “It’s a competitive environment and you want to be in those environments. Academy is very hard and so is reserves but the first team is another step up.”
On learning from Williams and Sneyd, he remarked: “Unbelievable. I’ve taken them aside a few times and asked for a few pointers but they’re the best two to have next to you.”
As for his own 2026 plans, the teen again showcased maturity, stating: “It’s just going game by game and seeing where that takes me, putting my best foot forward in training and seeing where it takes me.”
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