Jack Farrimond spent last Friday evening instilling into a group of under-11s at Leigh Miners Rangers the importance of creating opportunities right up to the final hooter.
Less than 24 hours later the 19-year-old half-back was pouncing with time up on the stadium clock to score a dramatic second try and seal a comeback win for Wigan in their Betfred Super League clash with Huddersfield at Dewsbury.
His rapidly rising stature in the game has not stopped Farrimond, the latest product to roll off the Warriors’ seemingly never-ending production line, from popping back to help out at his old junior club where his father Tom is the long-time head coach.
“We’re working quite hard at the Miners at the minute about everyone staying alive and pushing into the final moments, so it was great to get to practice what I preach,” Farrimond told the PA news agency.
“It was even better on Sunday morning for the under-11s who had seen the theory being put into practice.
“To them, though, I’m still not really anyone special. I’m just the same ‘Big Jack’ they’ve known since they were six or seven years old. For me it’s all about staying humble and giving back to the place where I started.”
Friday night coaches an u11’s session about staying in the game and being an option.
— tom farrimond (@tomfarrimond) June 14, 2025
Saturday tea time match winner on 79:59
😮💨 https://t.co/PJKh4XBq4g
Scouted from the well-respected Miners youth system at an early age, Leigh-born Farrimond found himself fast-tracked to first-team stardom after spending just a year in Wigan’s academy set-up.
But the win at Dewsbury represented only his third start of the current season, due to a minor injury to Bevan French, and Farrimond knows he will have to wait for further opportunities with French and half-back partner Harry Smith a difficult duo to dislodge.
With French set to return to the starting line-up for Friday’s trip to Wakefield, finding Farrimond suitable game time to maintain his impressive trajectory is a problem Wigan head coach and long-time admirer Matt Peet is wrestling with.
“I don’t want him to be too patient, though,” said Peet, who believes there is no reason why Farrimond, whom he remembers scouting as a junior, should not aspire towards dislodging some of the biggest names in the game.
“If he can be better than Harry or Bevan, then he can play more. It’s not about being patient, it’s about working hard and making it a competition, not just waiting to get a game.
“Respectfully, it’s Wigan Warriors, and we’re not going to lower our standards so younger players can get a game. I wouldn’t expect it to happen imminently, but that shouldn’t be his attitude. His attitude should be to compete and learn, and take every opportunity he gets.”
Relatively diminutive for a top-level half-back at around 5ft 8ins, Farrimond, who became devoted to the idea of making a career out of rugby league from a young age, is no stranger to the type of challenge laid down by his head coach.
“I’ve always been told that because of my size I had to play the game in different ways, I had to be smarter because when I was younger the other teams would have bigger, stronger lads and I was never going to run over the top of someone,” added Farrimond.
“I’m sure having to learn about the smart, tactical side of the game has helped me, as has learning from Bevan and Harry.
“They are two world-class half-backs and I am not expecting to take one of them out of the team straight away. It’s a slow process but they’re happy to help me with tips and it’s important that I remember to stay grounded and keep working hard.”
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