Wigan Warriors manager gives full injury update including Jai Field

Wigan Warriors head coach Matt Peet has provided an update on the fitness of a quintet of his players, including Australian stars Jai Field and Bevan French.

Field was absent from the Cherry and Whites’ Challenge Cup final triumph against Warrington Wolves on June 8.

The defender played the full 80 minutes at Wembley as Wigan lifted the Challenge Cup for a record 21st time, but as a result boss Peet revealed he picked up a hamstring injury early in the contest under the arch and scans have showed that the damage was more serious than first thought.

In turn, French stepped in to fill the vacant full-back role, but in the Warriors captain’s run ahead of their recent derby day win over St Helens, he tore his own hamstring.

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Wigan Warriors manager gives injury update at Jai Field ahead of Warrington Wolves clash

Field’s diagnosis was six to eight weeks out of action and when Wigan meet Warrington again – this time in Super League – on Friday night, it will be one day less than seven weeks since the final that saw him injured .

Speaking in his pre-match press conference on Tuesday afternoon, Warriors boss Peet said: “Jai looks good, he’s almost in full training now, although he won’t be playing this week.

“(His return) will be in the next few games after that.”

French, meanwhile, was expected to be out of action for around eight weeks and after two weeks, Peet confirmed he was still the same.

The boss said: “Bevan’s time slot has not changed. He ran on a treadmill yesterday and again it’s just one stage at a time for him.”

Elsewhere, youngster Tom Forber and experienced prop Mike Cooper are both currently sidelined.

Forber picked up an ankle strain while on loan in the Championship for Barrow Raiders, while Cooper failed an HIA in the early stages of the win over neighbors Leigh Leopards earlier this month.

This was the striker’s second concussion in a short period of time and he had to be referred to specialists in that department.

Peet elaborated: “Tom Forber is about three weeks off and has just started running now.

“And about Mike Cooper, it’s not going to be a case of me giving you some time with Mike. They will monitor him and go through the appropriate checks with the specialists.”

Matt Peet gives updates on out-of-contract veteran Willie Isa

Wigan’s longest absentee is veteran Willie Isa, who suffered a fractured, dislocated back ankle in mid-April during the Challenge Cup match against Castleford Tigers.

The 35-year-old is out of contract and as things stand, he faces an uphill battle to get back on the pitch before his contract expires at the end of this season.

Peet couldn’t comment on a potential time frame for a return, but did provide an update as follows: “Willie’s good, but it’s still one of those things where it’s a lot of gradual improvement with Willie.

“He’s pushing as hard as he can in the gym and with rehab.

“Some days he comes in and makes real progress, but occasionally there will be a day where he gets injured.

“It’s such a big injury, it’s just a case of monitoring him day by day and week by week, but he’s in good spirits.”

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