Wigan Warriors: World Club Challenge glory captures the imagination in 2024

Matt Peet has already achieved much in his short time as Wigan Warriors head coach, and he could complete the set of trophies in just his third season in charge.

In his first season, 2022, the 39-year-old guided the Cherry and Whites to their Challenge Cup title in nine years.

Last campaign, he led his boyhood club to Super League glory with Grand Final victory at Old Trafford, having also finished top of the regular-season table for the League Leaders' Shield.

That success has given Wigan a shot at the World Club Challenge, with Penrith Panthers making the trip to a sold-out DW Stadium on Saturday, 24 February, live on BBC Two.

The desire to retain their league crown is one thing, but for Peet the lure of clinching Wigan's fifth World Club Challenge title is a major incentive.

"In some ways it feels we haven't looked too much beyond that," Peet told BBC Radio 5 live.

"It's such a big game, we are preparing for that and we'll learn so much, win or lose, about our team and we'll find out where we're at. It could well shape the rest of our season."

While it would be an individual achievement for the likeable Peet, the man himself is focused on the collective when it comes to building success in WN5.

"What I love seeing is the group come together and building the connections on and off the field," Peet added.

"I feel like for a successful season, we would have to be involved in the big games. Whether it's one or both, we've also got the World Club Challenge, but we want more chances to compete for silverware."

'Chasing that feeling' - wanting more success

Seeing the faces of the Wigan players on the Old Trafford turf last October as they soaked up their Grand Final achievement highlighted just how emotional and significant winning as a group can be.

It is a bond built through tough pre-seasons, through semi-final defeats, through working together across a campaign with that squad of players, some of whom will not be there the following season.

Such sensations become addictive to players, who develop a taste for success.

For star playmaker Bevan French, the appreciation is arguably even greater.

The 28-year-old has had his set-backs since swapping Parramatta for Wigan, missing a large chunk of the 2021 season with a troublesome hamstring injury and then losing his mother while he continued his recovery.

French has overcome those hardships to play a major role for Peet's side, and his switch to half-back in 2023 led to both team achievement and individual recognition, as he won the Steve Prescott Man of Steel award for player of the season.

"You just want to chase that feeling again," French said. "It's a feeling you can't explain, you set out as a team long before a ball is kicked, you set a goal and what you want to achieve, it's 12 months in the making.

"It all comes down to an 80-minute performance and the feeling is like no other. The rollercoaster you've been through with your best mates and you win silverware, it's crazy."

Bevan French and Liam Marshall soak up the excitement of the winning try in their Grand Final win over Catalans

French has already put his name in Wigan folklore with the achievements of the past two seasons, but he too is enticed by the prospect of taking on Penrith for the right to be the best club side in the world.

The rich history around Wigan looms large around the club, with old photos reminding players of the great sides of yore.

Victory over the Panthers would put Wigan level with Sydney Roosters for most titles, and the club has seized on the motivation of those former greats to inspire the current crop.

"The club have been really good with that, not just the World Club Challenge, but with anything coming up - rivals round, Magic, semi-finals, they've always had some past history brought in," French said.

"Past players come in, talk about their experiences, their love for the club, and what it meant to them and how the memories are as clear as day, and it makes you excited to want to go out there and make your own memories, and hopefully come back one day and talk about it to the next squad."

Evolution not revolution - Wigan's changes and tweaks

Wigan's pursuit of further honours has seen Peet and chief executive Kris Radlinski work hard on threading freshness into the squad, while trying to avoid breaking up the dynamic which has generated success.

In come England prop Luke Thompson, ex-Leeds and Gold Coast hooker Kruise Leeming and centre Adam Keighran, adding quality rather than quantity to the ranks.

Thompson was a title winner at rivals St Helens, Leeming has experienced structures in both Super League and Australia's National Rugby League while Keighran was a losing finalist at the hands of Wigan with Catalans last term.

Fans will get a first look at what Peet's side are made of when they kick off the BBC's new live Super League coverage at Castleford on Saturday, 17 February from 17:00 GMT.

"Incremental improvement, consistent improvement and continual improvement - it never stops," Peet said.

"The minute you're not looking for them you're going backwards, we're looking to evolve everything we can do, tweak it.

"We don't want to take our eyes away from what makes us pretty good as well.

"The new players have brought new ideas, opinions and a freshness. They've been in strong environments themselves, so I'm always interested to hear what they feel works.

"They bring a hunger and different skillsets but as people their attitude has been exemplary."