Wigan Warriors lost full-back Jai Field to a HIA in their loss to Hull FC and it presents them with a selection issue for next week’s game against Catalans Dragons.
Matt Peet’s side slipped to defeat in yet another sub-par performance as John Cartwright’s side ran out 32-12 winners, beating Wigan on the road for the second time this year.
As in the first defeat, Jai Field left the field injured with the full-back failing a HIA after initially being shown a green card.
Typically, Zach Eckersley would have moved to full-back but the centre had limped off with a lower leg injury earlier in the game with Matt Peet confirming post-match that the outside back would head for an x-ray.
With Field ruled out for the game against Catalans and likely no Eckersley to cover him, we’ve examined who Wigan Warriors could call on to play the number one role.
They’ll still be without Bevan French and Jack Farrimond meaning their spine is in tatters ahead of Friday’s game.
Who could play full-back for Wigan Warriors?
Noah Hodkinson
The like-for-like replacement would be to call up young Noah Hodkinson from the reserves. He’s among the only outright full-backs that Wigan have available but he is still yet to debut for the senior team in a competitive fixture.
He did impress against Leeds Rhinos in pre-season, scoring Wigan’s only try in that 22-4 defeat and he’s been impressing for the reserves as well, scoring the opener in Saturday’s win over Hull FC. He also played twice for Widnes Bikings earlier in the season.
Adam Keighran
Adam Keighran is the man who moved to full-back yesterday as Kruise Leeming shifted into the halves and that’s a possibility again, however, Keighran may well be needed in the centres given the fact Eckersley is likely to miss the clash against Catalans.
Should Leeming move to the halves and Keighran move to either full-back or his natural centre position then Tom Forber would move to the bench as the interchange hooker.
Liam Marshall
One of the only players in the Wigan squad to have formally started a game at full-back, albeit he’s done it just once. Liam Marshall has made over 200 appearances for Wigan and one of those came at full-back, playing there against Wakefield Trinity in 2021.
Should he move to full-back then Jacob Douglas would earn a call-up on the wing providing Abbas Miski isn’t fit enough to return.
Christian Wade
A left-field option and potentially a major risk given how he’s been exposed under the high ball but there is no denying that Wade is electric with ball in hand.
He apologised to Matt Peet after the loss to Hull FC after a display which saw him struggle under the contested catch, something which Catalans would certainly test if he was moved to full-back. As it stands, it’s arguably more likely Wade drops out of the squad than moves to full-back but he would be an option.
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The Warriors fall to a Round 19 defeat. #WWRL #SLWIGHUL pic.twitter.com/BMEzsWP8fq
— Wigan Warriors 🍒⚪️ (@WiganWarriorsRL) July 19, 2025
