Douglas promoted to first team

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josie andrews
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Douglas promoted to first team

Post by josie andrews »

Jacob Douglas has been promoted to the Warriors first team and has signed a two-year deal with the Club.

Douglas: “There’s a high standard in my position as a winger, so I want to try and push to get my debut.”

Douglas will take the No.31 shirt for the 2023 season.

Wigan Warriors are delighted to announce that Academy product Jacob Douglas has been promoted to the first team and has signed a two-year contract with the Club, with the option of a third year.

Douglas has progressed through the Warriors Scholarship and Academy system since 2019. In his first season, he suffered a broken collarbone and his second season in 2020 was out of action due to the pandemic.

The 18-year old winger was a consistent starter for the Wigan Academy side in 2021, as well as the Reserves and Academy teams in 2022. He also featured in Wigan’s 42-12 pre-season win over Newcastle Thunder last year.

Described as a good athlete with speed, power and aerobic endurance; Douglas has shown great individual hard work and a desire to learn and improve which sees him promoted into the first team set-up.

Speaking on the deal, Douglas said: “I’d been training with the first team for about a month before December. Me and Matt (Peet) had a few conversations about how I was doing and he was pleased.

“I was offered a full-time deal which I was over the moon with. It’s two years with another year option so hopefully, I’ll be here for the next three-years.”

Executive Director, Kris Radlinski added: “Jacob’s story is a great and inspiring one. He has overcome injury as a youngster and worked so hard to get his chance and he has been a revelation in pre-season.

“When he told the senior squad that he would be joining them full time, the room cheered and they mobbed him out of respect. It is a great lesson for any young player. We all can’t wait to work with him and see where his career takes him.”

See Jacob Douglas’ first interview as a full-time player on Wigan TV HERE. Not a subscriber? Join today from £5.99 per month.

https://wiganwarriors.com/blog/2023/01/ ... irst-team/
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But to stand behind a team, to defend a team when it is down and really needs you,
that takes a lot of courage. #18thMan
Dreamteam
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Re: Douglas promoted to first team

Post by Dreamteam »

A lot of very young inexperienced players in that squad this season compared to last year. 1 injury to king or Wardle , Thornley still isn’t even full fit yet kpp to centres and we’ll have 2 SR available 😮
morley pie eater
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Re: Douglas promoted to first team

Post by morley pie eater »

Good for the lad, and I hope he makes the grade over the next 2 years. Any chances which come his way this year will be a bonus.

As to our cover, we have 3 centres in the squad and 3 second rows who can cover centre. I dare say Shorrocks or Ellis or Havard could play second row in an emergency. I guess how you look at it is the old "glass half full or half empty" approach?
. . . . . . ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Dreamteam
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Re: Douglas promoted to first team

Post by Dreamteam »

morley pie eater wrote: Fri Jan 13, 2023 8:07 pm Good for the lad, and I hope he makes the grade over the next 2 years. Any chances which come his way this year will be a bonus.

As to our cover, we have 3 centres in the squad and 3 second rows who can cover centre. I dare say Shorrocks or Ellis or Havard could play second row in an emergency. I guess how you look at it is the old "glass half full or half empty" approach?
Shorrocks second row ? If it was an emergency last minute call and we was playing Wakefield at home then sound. He’s played 13 and 9 neither of them up to any standard that smithies has. I’d rather play junior there over shorrocks myself. Be good if we could convert mago into kikau tho and get him playing there 😂😂
Charriots Offiah
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Re: Douglas promoted to first team

Post by Charriots Offiah »

Why couldn’t we have done this with Nicholson?
CheshireWarrior
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Re: Douglas promoted to first team

Post by CheshireWarrior »

I think Joe Shorrocks is definitely more suited to playing at lock!

Remember him being shuffled into the hooking role and it certainly didn't suit him (made the best of a bad call though, think this was around the time Hastings was at fullback 🙄).

Has good ball playing hands when at loose, like the idea of him and Smithies competing/interchanging. Put's a shift in Joe for my money!
Dreamteam
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Re: Douglas promoted to first team

Post by Dreamteam »

CheshireWarrior wrote: Sat Jan 14, 2023 8:25 am I think Joe Shorrocks is definitely more suited to playing at lock!

Remember him being shuffled into the hooking role and it certainly didn't suit him (made the best of a bad call though, think this was around the time Hastings was at fullback 🙄).

Has good ball playing hands when at loose, like the idea of him and Smithies competing/interchanging. Put's a shift in Joe for my money!
I remember him starting at 9 last year vs Warrington at home. Probably the worst 9 performance I’ve seen live, made me instantly want Powell back. Cust got moved to 9 in the second half and we was a completely different team. Nothing against shorrocks but he’s more of a utility option if we get injuries and suspension imo
The Pearl1
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Re: Douglas promoted to first team

Post by The Pearl1 »

Charriots Offiah wrote: Sat Jan 14, 2023 12:34 am Why couldn’t we have done this with Nicholson?
We are all disappointed Nicholson left but Warrington swooped and a blew away any offer Wigan would have made.

He was keen to leave Wigan as he has 3 England internationals ahead of him in the second row (he was very impatient as 2 of them have left/leaving).

At the time he left there were no whispers Bateman was going and the assumption was him and Farrell would be the starting back rowers for the next 3 years. He was also behind Isa and KPP who were both contracted for 2023 and behind Smithies and Shorrocks at loose.

He would only be in consideration for the first 17 as a regular in 2024.


Warrington offered him a big salary and a fast track to the first team (he’s got a starting shirt).

He’s keen to go Australia soon so didn’t want to sit around until 2024 at Wigan


People need to move on and stop mentioning him in every thread.
widdenoldboy
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Re: Douglas promoted to first team

Post by widdenoldboy »

morley pie eater wrote: Fri Jan 13, 2023 8:07 pm Good for the lad, and I hope he makes the grade over the next 2 years. Any chances which come his way this year will be a bonus.

As to our cover, we have 3 centres in the squad and 3 second rows who can cover centre. I dare say Shorrocks or Ellis or Havard could play second row in an emergency. I guess how you look at it is the old "glass half full or half empty" approach?
Threw me a little as he is often written up in match reports as Kilner-Douglas.

Both regular Academy wingers are good prospects and have come on really well at seasons end so this is a good move for player/club.

TBH, I would have expected Beardsworth/Wilson to have been moved up due to other back rowers moving on, the their time will come I hope.
nathan_rugby
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Re: Douglas promoted to first team

Post by nathan_rugby »

Charriots Offiah wrote: Sat Jan 14, 2023 12:34 am Why couldn’t we have done this with Nicholson?
I think Rads has been quoted saying that every single academy promote to the first team gets offered the same 2 year contract.

Even if we did (is it known we didn’t offer him anything?), Warringtons offer by the sounds of it will have far exceeded it.
Bomhead - "Lockers to prop."
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