Wigan Warriors head coach Matt Peet has paid tribute to his captain Liam Farrell ahead of his final regular-season home game, but he’s stopped short of confirming that the second-rower will not play again in cherry and white.
Farrell scored in the 50-12 win that saw Wigan secure the League Leaders Shield with the second-rower making his first appearance in ten games after suffering a neck injury earlier in the season.
There was some suggestion among the Sky Sports commentary that this could be Farrell’s final game for Wigan, such was the way that the club celebrated the second-rower but Matt Peet refused to confirm that.
When asked if it was a farewell, he said: “I don’t know. I mean in one, in one way it was a good chance to celebrate it, I would always have put him in there, no matter what, because he deserves that.
“Now I’ve got to pick a 17 that gets the job done. He’s a good player to have, isn’t he?”
Asked to pay tribute to his captain, Peet admitted that it was something that was almost beyond him, stating: “I don’t even feel like it’s up to me to. He was here before I got here, he’ll probably be here after I’ve gone. He’s a privilege to work with.
“I always say I’ve been very blessed to have the people around me when I came into this position. I had Tommy Leuluai as captain, then Faz and as as head coach it makes it very easy when your leader commands such respect and does everything right.
“Very low maintenance, very high performance.”
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Wigan Warriors’ Matt Peet speaks on unprecedented success
Whilst the celebration was all about Liam Farrell, Matt Peet also made history as he won his ninth trophy during his time with Wigan Warriors.
That moves him level with Tony Smith and Daniel Anderson as the man with the most trophies during the Super League era, despite only landing the Wigan job in 2022.
Asked if he could have possibly expected such success, he admitted: “No, certainly not no, it’s impossible to expect that isn’t it?
“I knew there was a doubt, there was plenty of fear, and then just, day by day, week by week. Like I say, I’m not foolish enough, I know I’m very lucky to work with a lot of people I work with, and that’s because the club’s in good shape.
“Mike [Danson, owner] and Rads [Kris Radlinski, CEO] on the board, they’ve got good staff, a good playing squad, the academy’s in good shape so, my job’s to try and keep on the track I suppose.”
Peet spoke to Sky Sports as his squad and coaches lifted the trophy at the other end of the ground and taking in the scenes, he said: “I still feel, not an imposter, but it’ just a privilege to be associated with the club. I play my part, keep out the lads way most of the time, and, like I said, this, this trophy more than the others represents the club I think in the consistency.”
It’s the third time he has lifted the League Leaders Shield and he now aims to take his side to a second treble if they win the Grand Final in early October.
Wigan win the League Leaders’ Shield 🏆 pic.twitter.com/LV26lL8QvX
— Sky Sports Rugby League (@SkySportsRL) September 11, 2026
