Wigan Warriors star Jai Field almost joined surprise Super League club

Wigan Warriors star Jai Field has been a revelation in 2022.

After suffering a horrific hamstring injury which plagued his first year in Super League, Field has taken off like a rocket this season, destroying defences on numerous occasions and forming an incredible partnership with fellow flyer Bevan French.

That was on show more than ever last night in Wigan’s 46-4 thrashing of Hull KR with the duo carving up the Robins on numerous occasions.

But, with Leeds Rhinos coming close to securing Field’s signature before he chose Wigan, another club had been long admirers of the outside back even before then.

That was in fact the Salford Red Devils, with current Huddersfield Giants head coach Ian Watson confirming he had held talks with Field a number of times over the years.

“We discussed it with Jai Field. Him and Euan Aitken were playing bit part in the NRL,” Watson said.

“They would play one week and miss the next and we discussed how long him and Euan Aitken would do that battle or come across and do something else.

“We had a real good look at him, I know a lot about him. His agent has talked about it a number of times. So when Drew Hutchison came across to Leigh we were trying to chase Jai then. We had discussed about him then.”

Of course, that didn’t come off which Watson probably regrets, but since making the move to Huddersfield, the former Salford boss has been impressing thoroughly with his coaching style paying off for the Giants.

The West Yorkshire club currently sit in fourth in the Super League table with a home game against strugglers Warrington Wolves taking place tomorrow night, whilst Watson’s men have also appeared in the Challenge Cup Final in 2022.