It’s up to us to get the young talent at Wigan Warriors some game time; as always, they have some fantastic players coming off the conveyor belt at Robin Park.The work that former academy head coach and current backroom staff member John Duffy put in to make that happen has frequently been acknowledged by Warriors manager Matt Peet.
Duffy will make sure that playing time is found elsewhere if there isn’t a spot available on Wigan’s first team, which is usually the case given the talent the Cherry and Whites have at their disposal.
The five Warriors youth players we’ve selected below are likely candidates to go out on loan soon, eager to get their start in the senior rugby league.
Although Winger Douglas made a strong impression during the preseason for Peet’s senior team, he has only played in one first-team game this season, which was the victory against Warrington Wolves the week before the Challenge Cup final. The 20-year-old, who began 2024 on loan with Bradford Bulls, has so far this season made four appearances while wearing a dual registration for Barrow.
He is regularly mentioned in Peet’s 21-man squads and is often seen in and around his team, so it seems possible that he is ready for a promotion. It seems that game time is required, whether that’s further up the Championship or into Super League itself. There are undoubtedly a good number of suitors.
Jack Farrimond
Ultimately, Peet’s decision will depend on whether he chooses to start Farrimond against Ryan Hampshire or Leigh Leopards. If Duffy plays better than a man-of-the-match performance in his home debut against the London Broncos on Friday night, we’re sure clubs will be clamoring for the starlet, and it looks like he is just that.
Before this season, the Leyther was met with high expectations, and Farrimond has proven himself time and time again when given the opportunity to perform. Given his promising career trajectory, we are convinced that if he is not going to play at the senior level for Wigan, he will have to play on loan somewhere else.
Additionally, academy head Duffy recently said to Love Rugby League, in response to our question regarding the potential for the 18-year-old to go on loan: “I think that may be a conversation that we need to have with Matt and Jack.”
“We’ll talk about Jack needing to push himself a little more soon, hopefully in a few weeks. We’ll see what transpires, of course, but it also depends on what Matt expects from Jack on the first team.
Tom Forber
21-year-old Forber made his senior Warriors debut in August 2022, but we haven’t seen him since. He has played twice this season for Peet’s team. At the time of writing, he had made 32 senior appearances after playing on loan or under dual registration for six other clubs, making him the most experienced player on this list in terms of playing time.
Though the hooker has played in seven games for Barrow while wearing a dual registration, only one of those appearances has occurred this year. Like Douglas, though, it seems like he’s prepared for a step up; he’s already participated in 23 Championship games overall, which means the season is almost over.
The Warrington-born hooker may benefit greatly from playing some minutes once he regains full fitness because he sustained an ankle injury in May while on loan at Barrow.
Harvey Makin
Despite having made 22 senior appearances, 14 of which have come this year, Makin has yet to appear for Wigan’s first team. He won’t turn 21 until November. He has already appeared for Barrow eight times in 2024 while playing dual registration. Between March and May, he played six games for Mike Eccles’ London team in the Super League.
Prop Makin has consistently contributed to Paul Crarey’s Raiders off the bench. Last month, he came on against the Swinton Lions and scored his second-ever senior career try. Duffy appears prepared to add more “senior” minutes to his repertoire, and he has a large network of contacts.
Finley Beardsworth
Beardsworth, who was born in Warrington, is arguably the “lowest key” player chosen, but he looks like a player to keep an eye on as he frequently draws attention in reserve games.
Even though he is still very young, the second-rower has already experienced a small taste of the senior game. He played four times for Midlands Hurricanes last season, scoring a try against Hunslet, and only made one appearance for Barrow Raiders on dual registration in April. In the long run, more playing time as a loanee might be beneficial for both his development and the Warriors.
