Sam Powell: Wigan Warriors home comforts are left behind for the upcoming chapter as a new Warrington Wolves signing
Sam Powell, 31, is starting again in 2024 as he moves from his hometown Wigan Warriors to rival Warrington Wolves. Powell last played for Wigan as a member of their 2023 Grand Final winning squad.
It had nearly come to such a pass that it was hard to see Sam Powell representing one of their fiercest rivals in the Betfred Super League as anything other than a Wigan Warriors shirt.
However, that will change at season’s end as the hooker decided to make the quick switch to Warrington Wolves, down the M6. He will have spent 15 years at his home club, starting when he was 16 and ending with October’s Grand Final victory.
With the exception of brief loan stints with the South Wales Scorpions and Workington Town in the early stages of his professional career, Powell has spent his entire career with the Warriors, amassing 273 games across all competitions and participating in two Grand Final victories.
However, Powell chose to wear the primrose and blue instead of the cherry and white because he wanted to move on from an occasionally difficult 2023 campaign that included missing eight weeks of play due to a shoulder injury and the chance to work under rugby league legend Sam Burgess. Powell also believes that his career may go beyond just playing.
“I’ve never been closed-minded to think I was going to spend my whole career at Wigan,” Powell stated. “The way things were going, it probably appeared that way, but in the end, it’s professional sport, and things ultimately come down to that.”
“Now that I’m looking back on my Wigan career with my wife and children, I only have wonderful memories.” They were enjoyable times, but because I don’t have much time left in the game, all I want to do is have fun and contribute when I can.
“I see it as a huge plus because, whenever I retire from playing, I want to become a coach. I have the opportunity to work with Sam and see his methods; also, I have had four excellent trainers, so the more the better.”
Powell plans to talk with Warrington director of rugby Gary Chambers in order to pursue the same opportunity with his new club. Powell already has some coaching experience, having worked with Wigan’s youth for the last two seasons.
The 31-year-old has benefited greatly from the teachings he has learned from his former Warriors coaches, Michael Maguire, Shaun Wane, Adrian Lam, and Matt Peet. Powell is excited to continue accumulating as much real-world experience as he can for the day when he hangs up his boots.
Powell, who has so far found his work as a coach to be fulfilling as well, stated, “First of all, it’s what I see myself doing after the game, so I don’t see the point in waiting until after I’ve finished playing to gain that experience.”
It’s amazing to see the transformation in two years that lads go through after registering as scholarship players. You can have a significant impact on someone’s decision to play rugby league or not.
“I just enjoy seeing them come in as boys and leaving as young men into the first team and giving them certain aspects, not even in rugby league but lessons in life they can take forward whatever they choose.”
In 2024, Powell would have faced fierce competition for playing time given the rise of Brad O’Neill as Wigan’s starting hooker during his injury-plagued absence and the recruitment of former Leeds Rhinos No. 9 Kruise Leeming for the upcoming campaign.
He finds himself in a similar situation at Warrington, though, as the Wolves still have England international Danny Walker and Brad Dwyer, who is back at the Halliwell Jones Stadium following stints with Leeds and Hull FC, in their ranks despite Daryl Clark transferring to St Helens.
Powell understands that in order to earn more playing time with the Wolves, he could need to be used in the halves, like he occasionally was with Wigan. Despite preferring to play in his natural position, Powell is willing to play in another position if necessary.
Powell replied, “I don’t mind.” “Hooker is my preferred position, but I just want to be playing on the field.”
“Brad and Danny are excellent players; their styles of play and mine are maybe a touch different. It’s one of my ambitions, along with the three of us, to obtain game time.
“It’s a quality squad here with really good players, and I just wanted to be around it.”
Powell joined his new teammates earlier this week, and with preseason training already underway, he had to get started right away with the Wolves.
