Peet wins Coach of the Year
- Matt Peet wins Betfred Super League Coach of the Year Award.
- Peet picked up the Award at the Super League Awards Dinner on Tuesday night.
- Peet: “It’s an honour.”
Wigan Warriors Head Coach Matt Peet has been named the Betfred Super League Coach of the Year for 2022.
In his debut season as Wigan boss, Peet won 19 of 28 Super League games and took the Warriors to a second place finish in the table.
Overall in 2022, Peet has led Wigan to 23 wins, and of course a first Challenge Cup Final victory in nine years after the win over Huddersfield Giants in May.
He has also been heavily praised this year for his work off the field and involvement in the Wigan community.
Peet becomes the fourth Wigan Head Coach to win the Award after Michael Maguire (2010), Shaun Wane (2018) and Adrian Lam (2020).
On receiving the Award at the Super League Awards Dinner on Tuesday night, Peet told Wigan TV: “It’s an honour. It’s an achievement I do appreciate but ultimately as a Head Coach you rely on the efforts of so many people.
“First and foremost, Ian Lenagan, for giving me the opportunity and Kris [Radlinski] who has pushed me all the way to get this role and has backed me for many years.
“At the end of this season, credit must go to the players first and foremost – they’ve been 100 per cent committed on a daily basis. They’ve produced the goods on the field more often than not and they’ve been an absolute pleasure to work with. And the support staff we’ve got as well. Two first class Assistant Coaches in Sean O’Loughlin and Lee Briers – very good friends of mine who work so hard. They’ve been invaluable. And then the performance staff led by Ian Bentley who is an expert who I trust immensely and all the team working with him, including our medical staff.”
On Wigan’s community involvement in 2022, Peet commented: “I feel any team – particularly Wigan Rugby League Club – sits at the heart of a community and it has to stand for a lot and set the tone for the town. It has to entertain and inspire and that’s what we look to do. It helps you have success on the field – the players know who they represent. There’s so much you can learn from the community of Wigan – hard work, innovation, being selfless and I think so much of that can transfer to our sport.
“This year we’ve laid foundations and what I mean by that is it’s not defined by wins and losses. I’m no less proud of the team because they didn’t get the win last Friday. I love what they stand for and what they bring to the environment on a daily basis and how much they commit themselves to one another to improve. Along the way you have to have some defeats which you learn from. It’s all part of a journey. Hopefully there’s a few years to go and we do win some trophies because it symbolises progress and it inspires.”
Click HERE to watch Peet’s full interview with Wigan TV as he speaks more on Sean O’Loughlin and Lee Briers, talks Tommy Leuluai ahead of his new role as Assistant Coach and reacts to the announcement that Bevan French has signed a new two-year deal with the Club.
