Wigan Warriors great Ellery Hanley has applauded his old club’s outstanding start to the season – but insists it is still far too early to make a judgment call on their progress.
The Warriors endured a disappointing 2021 campaign and parted company with Adrian Lam after three years at the DW Stadium helm.
Matty Peet was promoted to the top job following Lam’s departure and Hanley has watched his side win every game so far.
Yet he is refusing to get carried away and says the time to make a true assessment will come when the Warriors have played at least 12 games – and possibly more.
“It’s very simple for me,” Hanley told Rugby League Live.
“I don’t know Matty Peet because I’ve never spoken to him in my life, so I couldn’t make a judgement on him because I’ve never been under his umbrella in a classroom situation or in a video analysis situation.
“I wouldn’t know how he operates or expects from his players.
“But my judgement on how an individual and a team does is very simple.
“How well a player is doing can only be determined by games under his belt over long periods of time – two months, three months, all season.
“It has been a wonderful start for Wigan – three from three and playing superbly well.
“They are playing some good instinctive footie and their defence looks nice and tidy as well.
“But the judgement will only come when they have played a dozen games or 18 games.
“Making an early call on a team is too hard at this moment in time.”
Hanley believes Leeds Rhinos are a perfect example of how form can fluctuate.
Richard Agar’s men lost their opening three matches but then won comfortably at Wakefield Trinity on Thursday night.
Hanley added: “We talk about the Leeds side who played Wakefield on Thursday.
“They were three defeats from three, so it has been a difficult period for them.
“But we know they have got the personnel there, so you can only make a judgment at the end of the season.
“We talk about individual players coming through – and I won’t embarrass anyone by naming them – but it’s only with time that we can tell how good they are going to be.
“Only then will we see if they can maintain their form, have that discipline, and that hunger and drive.
“That can only be told by the end of the season.”
