27 June 2023 , 18:45
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WIGAN boss Matt Peet wants better coaching welfare in Super League - and blasted those “sticking the knife in” on Huddersfield counterpart Ian Watson.
The two sides clash on Friday night with Watson under immense pressure after a 54-0 walloping at Leeds. On the eve of that game, Sky Sports reported Warrington, Huddersfield and Rhinos were all being linked with recently sacked Gold Coast boss Justin Holbrook. Hudersfield labelled it “incorrect” and “malicious” but it obviously led to more questions about Watson’s future after they copped such a mauling at Headingley.
To his credit, the under-fire coach answered everything that came his way about his position. But the battered former Salford boss clearly looked shell-shocked after suffering a seventh loss in just eight games. Asked how it makes him feel, Peet, 39, said: “I don’t like it at all. I understand why the game, or sometimes the media, goes down that route, looking for sensationalism.
“But I sometimes feel there’s a lack of empathy from the rugby league media. We’re not football. Some of the blokes you see, including myself, can’t shy away from the fact we choose this job and our job is constantly on the line. But the fact is we’ve all got mortgages to pay. I’m not crying about it. It’s more when I see it happen to other people.”
Peet, who won the Challenge Cup his debut season as a head coach last year, added: “We’re very good in rugby league at getting around people when they need support, which has been highlighted in recent weeks, months and years better than ever.
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"But sometimes we also enjoy sticking the knife in. I feel you can’t have it both ways: don’t be pleasant to one person and then enjoy revelling in someone else’s misfortune. I just wish we could all just show a bit more empathy for one another. I find some of it a bit unsavoury.”
Wigan Warriors boss Matt Peet has called for greater protection of coaches in wake of Watson's treatmentPeet - who confirmed an interest in Catalans’ Australian utility back Adam Keighran for 2024 - says he has empathy for Watson. He explained: “That’s because I know at some point that’s probably going to be me suffering.
"You watch it with your wife and kids and you know sometimes they are going to have to watch. When it’s good, it’s good. But when it’s bad it can be pretty brutal.
"Coach welfare is something that should be considered a bit more closely. As a game, we could look after each other a bit better. And we know Huddersfield will click. Everyone in the game’s confident they’ll find a run of form at some point as they have too much class.”