Wigan Warriors CEO Kris Radlinski makes NFL trip admission ahead of 2025 title-defending campaign

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Wigan Warriors CEO Kris Radlinski makes NFL trip admission ahead of 2025 title-defending campaign

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A recent trip to the NFL reassured Wigan Warriors management of their place among the sporting elite.

Head coach Matt Peet, chief executive Kris Radlinski, and assistant coaches Sean O'Loughlin and Thomas Leuluai visited the New York Giants following the Warriors' historic quadruple-winning 2024 season.

The trip to the NFL outfit saw the Warriors exchange insights on training, scouting and recovery practices with the four-time Super Bowl champions.

And Radlinski felt the informative visit confirmed the Warriors were doing a lot of things right.

He said: “The great thing that I've always found when you go to these places is that it actually reaffirms a lot of the things you’re doing well.

“It's very difficult, because a lot of what matters here is about relationships and building connectivity - but in the NFL that must be difficult with a 70-man roster trying to make a 50-man squad.

“So a lot of what we try to preach here is difficult in other sports, even in football because it’s very transactional, whereas here, it's a bit more institutional.”

The visit came to the fore after Radlinski reached out to the Giants during the season.

“I said this is who we are, this is the sport and at the end of the year could we spend some time with you?”, explained the former Wigan and Great Britain full-back.

The NFL boasts a gigantic media presence, and he admitted the Super League could learn a few things from their playbook.

“The media were very integrated into the facility, helping themselves to food and had access to the locker room,” said Radlinski, speaking at a media day in which journalists were given complete access to the training centre at Robin Park.

“It's funny that everyone wants a profile, everyone wants more money, but there are players in sports that block people out.

“You can't have it both ways - once you’re in, you’re in.”

Peet admitted how impressed he was with the level of detail the Giants operated at.

He said: ”The sheer amount of plays, structures and principles that they have to know is really impressive, just the way they teach that information testing was one thing that really stood out for me.

“Another would be the way the scouts recruit players and the attention to detail they have there throughout the scouting of the college leagues - that was really exciting.”

The Giants are valued at $7.9 billion, making them the seventh most valuable sports team in the world.

Assistant coach O'Loughlin added: “Obviously, size-wise, they're a lot bigger than us. They’re world famous and it's good to see the things they do, pick things up and take it away.

“A lot of it is checklisting yourself and you come away thinking that we're doing a lot of good things as well.”

And whilst there is no chance of a player swap, O'Loughlin tipped stars Bevan French, Jai Field and Patrick Mago as the Warriors’ most-suited for the gridiron.

“Jai and Bev have the speed - put a ball in their hands and they will beat people no matter what sport they play,” he said.

“NFL players are big, but they’re also explosive and quick — I think Paddy has that in his game.”

The trip to the Big Apple, funded by Warriors billionaire owner Mike Danson, also gave the management a great opportunity to celebrate their incredible 2024 achievements.

Radlinski added: “It's a pretty demanding job with a lot of hours - so the people who get the brunt of it are our wives and our partners.

“To be able to take them to America and spend time with them was really cool.

https://www.wigantoday.net/sport/rugby- ... gn-4942035
Anyone can support a team when it is winning, that takes no courage.
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
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