Matt Peet has moved to explain his decision to leave a handful of key men out of his Wigan Warriors squad to take on Sheffield Eagles on Friday. The Cherry and Whites make the trip to South Yorkshire this week as they get their Challenge Cup defence underway.
The game represents Wigan’s first competitive run out of the season, after friendlies against Oldham and Leeds Rhinos in January and Peet has named a squad that can be considered to be close to full strength to face the Championship side. However, there are a number of notable absentees with Ethan Havard, Abbas Miski and Jake Wardle among those sitting out.
Havard and Miski weren’t involved at Headingley after returning from injury during pre-season and while Sean O’Loughlin outlined his belief after that friendly game that both would be fit for the start of the season, they miss out. Wardle played in that game, but he won’t be taking on the Eagles either, with Peet admitting Sheffield’s artificial pitch was a factor in his selection.
“It’s more with an eye on the surface,” Peet told Serious About RL when asked about those absentees. “Coming off the Leeds game I think everyone would like to play but that surface at Sheffield, a few players don’t respond great from that artificial stuff so we’ve taken them out this week.”
Wigan met the Eagles at the Brick Community Stadium in last season’s Challenge Cup, with the Cherry and Whites progressing to the quarter-finals after a 44-18 win. However, they certainly didn’t have it all their own way in that game and Peet is prepared for another tough evening.
“They gave us a real game last year, at half-time it was very close, we might have even been behind so we know what to expect in terms of their physicality,” he added. “They’ve got some former Super League players and very strong ball carriers in particular.
“Cory Aston is a smart half as well. They’re a proud club, I think the fans will be excited and we know we have a proper game on our hands.”
While Wigan will take on Championship opposition, three Super League sides have been pitched against community clubs, with Leeds Rhinos, Hull FC and St Helens taking on Wests Warriors, York Acorn and West Hull respectively.
Asked how he feels about such a concept, Peet said: “I’m not sure to be honest. I like it as an idea and a notion but I do have concerns about amateurs being on the same field as professionals physically.
“They’ve got to go to work on Monday morning and they’re playing against from freakish athletes and physical boys. I’m not sure where I stand on that.
“I understand the planning behind it at the start and giving the Championship teams home games against Super League teams is fantastic but I don’t think we should be seeing a situation where it’s amateurs against professionals.”
