Wigan Warriors came from behind to defeat Huddersfield Giants 28-14 and return to the top of Super League but the efforts of one man have seen him hailed as the best English player in his position.
Entering the game after two consecutive losses there was plenty of pressure on hosts Wigan Warriors to get back to winning ways and when 8-0 down at half-time, it wasn’t looking good.
Former Wigan man Jake Bibby opened the scoring but the hosts found their form in the second half, in part due to the brilliance of centre Jake Wardle, a former Huddersfield player himself.
The 25-year-old has now been hailed as the best English centre in the competition by rival head coach Luke Robinson, a man who formerly coached Wardle in Huddersfield’s academy.
Wardle scored a try in the second half but put in a whopping 137 metres on just seven carries and that saw Robinson label him as “unbelievable” when speaking to Sky Sports, but he’d go even further in his post-match presser.
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Is Wigan Warriors man the best centre in Super League?
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It was Wardle’s length-of-the-field try that helped shift the momentum back in favour of the champions with Wigan Warriors kicking on after Wardle’s score in the 47th minute.
That momentum shift was noted by Huddersfield’s interim coach Luke Robinson who spoke of Wardle in the post-match as he declared the Wigan Warriors centre as the “best English centre in the competition at the moment”.
Wigan Today reported Robinson’s comments, as he explained: “There was a momentum shift in that second half with Jake Wardle, it infuriates me that he’s playing against us because I think he’s the best English centre in the competition at the moment.
“He was in my academy, and had been out for about two years and in his first game back, he scored four or five tries.”
Robinson ascended from coaching the Huddersfield academy to become Ian Watson’s assistant and now his interim replacement, however, he has stated his interest in securing the permanent job.
As for Jake Wardle, he left Huddersfield Giants after their impressive 2022 campaign but he’s flourished for Wigan Warriors during his time with the club.
Wardle earned the Harry Sunderland Trophy in last year’s Grand Final and scored the controversial game-winner in the World Club Challenge earlier this year. His exploits have seen him earn a five-year deal with the club until the end of the 2029 season.
With so many other impressive English centres in Super League, it’s a strong statement from Robinson but ultimately, one that is very hard to refute.
