Three players who will captain Wigan within the next decade

Being a captain takes all sorts of leadership skills; vocality, communication and an inspiring character are all vital elements of leading a team.

Next up in this series is Wigan Warriors, whose current skipper Tommy Leuluai is approaching retirement age.

But, just which three players would take the Warriors’ mantle within the next decade?

Sam Powell

He’s been there throughout the past decade, but Sam Powell is now certainly coming into his own. The number nine has more than filled the shoes left by Michael McIlorum, in fact, some would say he’s even bettered the hooker role for the Warriors. Regularly at the top of his game, Powell is one of the most influential in the Wigan team and always leads from the front in the tackling department too.

John Bateman

Returning to Wigan after a two-year spell in the NRL, John Bateman has become an even better player than when he left for Australia – something which almost seemed impossible. However, the Bradford-born forward is excelling once more in Super League and will do for many years to come. He’s still only 27 which makes him the ideal candidate to be a long-term captain.

Oliver Partington

A 22-year-old that is way mature beyond his years, Oliver Partington is already a cornerstone of the Wigan pack, filling in at loose-forward in the first two games of the 2021 season. Though sometimes a bit of a loose cannon, Partington will learn to lose that unnecessary edge and by his late 20s, he will certainly be a skipper-in-waiting.