Wigan Warriors could be left with no choice but to part ways with Christian Wade at the end of the season, admits head coach Matt Peet.
Wade made his debut for the Warriors on Friday night as Peet’s side overturned a first-half deficit to beat Huddersfield Giants. The winger marked his bow with a try and after a shaky start, he managed to showcase his talent and suitability to the 13-man code.
As such, it seems Peet could find himself with a tough decision to make in the next weeks with Abbas Miski and Liam Marshall pushing to return to fitness and re-claim their respective spots in the side.
Wigan may have an even tougher call at the end of the season though, when it comes to Wade’s future. The former rugby union star is only contracted until the end of the season after joining the club on a short-term deal and as it stands, his wages aren’t included on the salary cap.
That would change in 2026, though, should he remain with the Cherry and Whites, with just 50 per cent of his wages exempt. Whether that would prevent Wigan from being able to re-sign Wade remains to be seen but Peet admits the club’s ‘hands could be tied’.
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Wigan Warriors head coach Matt Peet on Christian Wade
“We’ve not spoken to Christian in great detail about his future intentions, but I think he’s very open-minded, and I know he’s enjoying it here,” Peet said per Serious About RL’s sister site Wigan Today.
“The fact is, he is exempt from the salary cap at the moment, and next year that won’t be the case. It might be that our hands are tied, but Christian is well aware of that.
“He’s been immaculate since he joined us – his attitude, his diligence, his work ethic – but also his sense of humour and his commitment to being one of the team, have shone through. He’s going to add something to us. He will make mistakes, as all of our players will, young and old, but it’s how quickly you learn.”
Wigan Warriors will play their second home game in as many weeks when they take on Hull FC on Saturday afternoon. The Black and Whites travel to the Brick Community Stadium in good spirits after claiming a win over Wakefield last time out, and they’ll take added confidence from having already seen off Wigan on their travels this year in the Cup.
Speaking ahead of the game, Peet told fans to expect a similar line-up in a minor squad update: “It’s quite early in the week but it won’t be much different. People played well who were in, there’s not a lot of people coming back, and no-one went out.”
