Matt Peet is expecting another tough test from Hull FC.
Hull FC centre Davy Litten celebrates his try.
Matt Peet is expecting another spirited and gritty showing from Hull FC against his Wigan Warriors side on Saturday night and believes their trajectory over the last 15 months or so is not down to coincidence.
The Wigan Warriors boss has highlighted two aspects behind that upward curve: head coach John Cartwright and the club’s development of young players, which started under the club’s previous regime but was fast-forwarded during a tough 2024 season, in particular through the likes of Lewis Martin and Harvey Barron.
And Peet, whose Wigan side host Hull in Super League round two, is anticipating another tough clash against a side that defeated them at the Brick Community Stadium in both the league and cup last season – and is predicting the Black and Whites to have a long-term evolution under their current head coach.
“They’re a good team,” Peet said. “They’ve got a very exciting backline and some powerful forwards. Aidan Sezer has been an excellent player for a long time – he has had some excellent games against us in the past, and I think some of the grit they showed at the weekend, I heard what John had to say and he was bang on.
“Some of their scramble defence was what any coach would be proud of. A bit like what I say, it’s the foundations of a team and they’ve certainly got plenty of spirit, and Zak Hardaker epitomises what they’re about in terms of their get-up-and-go.”
Outlining the impact of Cartwright, who is into his second season at the club, Peet continued: “Their recruitment has been good, but I like John a lot. Whenever he speaks, he speaks sense; he is very measured and is experienced, and you can tell the lads love playing for him.
“I just think he has got the long-term evolution of that team and that club in mind. He doesn’t get too reactive when they’ve had some tough times with injuries, so I just think he guides the club really well and the players are reacting.
“They have got some talent; Will Pryce is obviously a fantastic player, but he is not the only one, and the way they have developed their young British backline, with Zak in there as well, but (Davy) Litten, (Lewis) Martin and (Harvey) Barron are three players that are great for Super League, great for England and great for Hull – good players – and I feel like the way they were blooded early doors with Grixy and then John, I think they are going to be permanent fixtures of this Hull side for a long time.”
Wigan are the biggest custodian for producing their own talent, a methodology Hull want to follow suit on.
“Certainly we respect them for it,” Peet added. “I just mentioned the players there and I think there is more to come. The Kemp lads (Callum and Lloyd), they’ve got plenty of talent there and it’s a credit to not just their academy system and the city of Hull for producing the players and the junior sides, but I think the senior coaches for backing them as well.
“They had a tough season not too long ago before John came in, but if you look at it, some of the players that were blooded through that period are some of the outstanding players in the competition now.”