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"I knew he'd miss home": Wigan to hold talks with homesick Raiders star

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Wigan coach Adrian Lam says the club will hold talks with Canberra Raiders’ England halfback George Williams over a potential return in 2022.

Wigan coach Adrian Lam says the Super League club are keen to hold talks with Canberra Raiders’ England halfback George Williams over a potential return in 2022.

Canberra have confirmed that the 26-year-old Williams, who is in the second season of a three-year contract, is homesick and they are working to provide support to him and his girlfriend in the hope that he will see out his contract.

If that fails, Wigan will be in pole position to re-sign him, just as they did with another Canberra player, John Bateman, when he opted to cut short his stay in the NRL at the end of the 2020 season.

Speaking at his weekly press conference, Lam admitted he would be keen to speak to Williams as the club prepare for the departure of Jackson Hastings and the probable retirement of Thomas Leuluai.

“Of course, we would,” Lam said. “George is a Wigan lad. I knew he’d miss home at some stage because his close friends are here and he’s well integrated with this club.

“It makes sense that as a club, we’ll be talking to him and we’ll see what happens from there.”

Meanwhile, Wigan centre Oliver Gildart is attracting interest from the NRL, with former Warriors coach Michael Maguire thought to be keen to take the England international to Wests Tigers.

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Lam said: “I know he has a dream of playing in the NRL, that’s been clear. 
“As it stands, he’s off contract with us at the end of the year, there’s always going to be interest and, if he decides to go down that path of joining the NRL, there’s not much we can do about it as a club.

“But he brings a lot to us as a team. We’re looking forward to having him back, his head is in a good place and he’s not talking to any NRL clubs at the moment.

“I think it’s the management group which do the negotiations and put the feelers out there.”

Gildart has yet to play this season because of a troubling groin injury but could return within the next fortnight.

© AAP

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