Wigan Warriors today announce the 19-man squad for Thursday’s Betfred Super League Round 21 game against Huddersfield Giants, kick-off 7:45pm.
Sean O’Loughlin is fit again whilst Romain Navarette returns from suspension for the clash with the Giants.

Liam Farrell is unavailable after sustaining a shoulder injury in last week’s win over Warrington, whilst Dan Sarginson, Joe Greenwood and George Williams are still unavailable for selection due to injury.

Wigan Warriors 19-Man Squad
John Bateman, Tony Clubb, Tom Davies, Morgan Escaré, Ben Flower, Oliver Gildart, Gabe Hamlin, Willie Isa, Sammy Kibula, Tommy Leuluai, Liam Marshall, Romain Navarette, Sean O’Loughlin, Liam Paisley, Ollie Partington, Sam Powell, Taulima Tautai, Sam Tomkins, Josh Woods.

I'm surprised Tony Clubb is included. He was really struggling with that hamstring on Friday.

According to Wigan Today Wane will be including either Partington or Kibula. I would have thought that it was a year too soon for Sammy but he may have lost the bow legs and the puppy fat since I last saw him play. I imagine that it will be Ollie who though not as massive is probably further forward in his development. There again I am often wrong.

Imagine he will drop out for Partington or Kibula.

Tomkins
Davies
Bateman
Gildart
Marshall
Woods
Powell
Flower
Leaulai
Naverette
Isa
Paisley
SOL

Hamlin
Escare
Tautai
Kibula

Just looking on website and Kibula is actually our biggest prop in the first team. I’d be looking to give him a game tomorrow and if he goes well play him against Saints, the bloke is massive so I can’t see many dominating him regardless of age

Just looking on website and Kibula is actually our biggest prop in the first team. I’d be looking to give him a game tomorrow and if he goes well play him against Saints, the bloke is massive so I can’t see many dominating him regardless of age

Size doesn’t matter does it?



Seriously I’m looking forward to seeing Kibula play but I worry about his stamina at SL level. Try him tomorrow but I wouldn’t risk him v Saints yet.

No Bateman so Paisley in the centres, squad looking a bit bare, we need a few bodies back asap

Gonna be a tough ask to win tonight,very suprised to see Kibula in the squad, the little I have seen (and not for a while) he struck me as a little tubby and unfit and heavily reliant on a huge size advantage he won’t have at senior level. I guess he has kicked on? We need some extra size in our pack so I hope he goes well.

About time Locks retired only did 20 minutes again, came off injured.

Surely not, According to most he is going around again

So how did Kabula go?

I was going to ask that!

From a hudds fan he ran decently but in my opinion was very poor in defence

I'd agree, not the finished article by any means, but lots of potential

Don't know about retirement but i think he needs to have a serious think about International Rugby . Not going to make the next World Cup so whats the point . The last thing he or Wigan need is for him to extend this domestic season with 4 International games .

Regards EW

I honestly thought Kibula really struggled. He did have one great run though.

He came out way too fast in defence and made some poor tackle attempts resulting in high tackles. That may well be over enthusiasm on debut.
A good comparison is Kibula and Matty English. Very similar in age, but it's clear that Matty English is way ahead of Kibula currently.
The main thing for Kibula will be game time. Once he gets up to super league fitness and speed I believehe could be devastating. But he's got lots of hard work ahead of him and needs to stay patient.

Let's be honest, seeing a huge guy taking a hit up is always a great sight.

Kibula is still only 18 years of age. Two years is a lot at this stage. I actually think that Liam Byrne and Ollie Partington will be challenging Kibula for that prop spot.

I was only able to listen to the radio commentary in spells at work and heard Kibula only took 1 drive in 15 mins. That simply isn’t enough but I won’t judge an 18 year old prop on just his debut. He’s got the talent and years of development in him and I reckon he’ll be a cracker.

It wasn’t because he was lazy and didn’t want to run it in, I remember a few times he was desperate for the ball but they just floated it to Tautai

Official stats for him were 5 drives for 50 metres which is more then acceptable on debut.

It was defensively you’d worry stats wise. He missed three tackles on the night.

Agreed,for my money he shouldn't have been there if the club had replaced FPN I wonder if he would be anywhere near the first team, at the moment for me personally he's not ready,nor should he be he's still a kid despite, and maybe. because of his size he should be very limited in his appearances for the next year or two and let him build up naturally.

It'll be interesting to see whoever the new coach is take on him, handle him right and he could play for year but with that size send him in too early,it doesn't bare thinking about,