STRENGTHS:

+ Aerial ability
+ Clean hands
+ Contested marking
+ Intercepting
+ Positioning
+ Reading the play

IMPROVEMENTS:

- Decision making
- In-between size

Hardly any prospect's main weapon is as outstanding as Wigmore's intercept marking. While capable of playing the percentages with a spoil or pack split, he nearly always backs himself to take a grab. Whether it be one-on-one or third up in the contest, Wigmore picks off opposition kicks for fun, making up the majority of his possessions.

The defender's instinctual work is credit to his superior reading of the play. Occupying shrewd positions behind the ball, he settles in to handle long kicks down the line but can just as readily peel off and play loose. Complimenting his reads and reactions are a vice-like set of hands and the courage to stand tall in packs.

At his best, Wigmore essentially plays tall. That can be taken one of two ways; either it's a massive asset to suggest he can play above his height and dominate aerially against those his own size, or he'll get found out playing the same way against taller talls and quicker smalls at the elite level. As a result, his draft range is likely one of the widest in the pool.

At 188cm, Wigmore is a capable kick of the ball without being outstanding, and has had to work hard to remove errors from his game in perilous positions. Decision making is the main improvement area, learning to balance the desire to be dynamic off turnover with the need to remain composed and efficient.

Given he wins so much of the ball off opposition kicks, Wigmore can continue to work on becoming more damaging on the counterattack. That means being able to put speed on the ball and open up the game by foot, or releasing those who can in a hastier fashion. It's somewhat of a Catch-22, given he has worked on slowing down to turn the ball over less.

Although, the trap with recruiting is often looking at what players can't do, as opposed to what they do proficiently. As outlined off the rip, Wigmore's intercept marking is as strong an asset as anyone possesses in the 2026 crop, and that is exactly what has put him on track for the top level. You select him for that, not a run-and-carry game.