OLIVER Gildart has revealed who really made his mind up to stay at Wigan – his mum and dad.
The centre snubbed NRL interest and a possible switch to rivals St Helens to commit to the Warriors for three more years, but he admits there was a time when in his mind he was off.
However, a summit meeting in the front room of parents Ian, who played for Wigan, and Claire sealed his future.
Gildart, 21, said: “There was a time when I thought that. I had a good offer and being over there with Wigan, I saw how the players are treated and how big the game is there, it does make you question.
“I met a few people from abroad then I sat down with my mum and dad and made what we as a family thought was the right decision. I think I’m too young to go over to the other side of the world and I’m not established or the finished product yet.
“I want to get 100 games with Wigan and try and nail down an England spot but it was a big decision. It took longer than I wanted and it affected me, at the start of the year my head was all over the shop!”
Wigan, who head to Hull KR tonight, are both toasting their Magic Weekend triumph over Warrington and reeling from the shock announcement that boss Shaun Wane is leaving at the end of the season.
But the Wolves’ focus is purely on the field ahead of their meeting with Hull, whose injury problems have only opened Tyrone Roberts’ eyes to the differences between Super League and the NRL even more.
Warrington’s Aussie scrum-half said: “It’s very different than in Australia. It’s different and I had to get used to it. It does make you adjust to it after being so structured in the NRL.
“Everyone knows their role and you’re not really trying to teach – you’ve got a lot of young kids coming through here, who are about 20-years-old. That’s something I had to get used to.”
Salford, who are battling for their top eight spot and face a huge clash with Huddersfield tonight, are thought to have rekindled their interest in a loan move for St Helens’ Matty Smith.
An injury to James Roby scuppered Ian Watson’s hopes of landing the scrum-half previously but now the hooker has recovered, he may go in again for the former England man.
Leave a comment