WANE EYEING SHAMED STAR
SHAUN WANE admits Wigan would love to sign disgraced England ace Zak Hardaker.
Full-back Hardaker was suspended by Castleford after testing positive for cocaine on the eve of their Grand Final defeat by Leeds last October.
The Tigers have confirmed the 26-year-old has since been sacked and he could face a two-year ban.
But, despite that, there is growing belief that Wigan have already snapped him up and Wane has now stoked those rumours.
The Warriors coach insisted no deal had been done, but said: “Zak is a fantastic player. Any player of his calibre that comes up, we’d be interested.
Offences
“I admire him. He is a real natural rugby player and he could play anywhere.”
Hardaker has a shameful catalogue of offences to his name, including getting thrown out of England’s 2013 World Cup squad.
He was also found guilty of homophobic abuse during a match and of assaulting a student while he was a Leeds player.
The Rhinos’ patience finally ran out and he was loaned out to Penrith and then Castleford, who signed him permanently last June.
Asked if it set a good example to Wigan fans to sign a player with Hardaker’s history, Wane said: “There will be more to it, what Zak’s done.
“But I’m not really interested. I just know Zak’s a very good player and we want good people at this club.
“I know Zak as a person, I’ve met him many times as a lad and he’s a ® fantastic character. Whether he’s made an error, I don’t know the detail, I would never ask him about that. If he’s made an error, he’s got to be punished for it.
“We’re a club that looks after our players, and if Zak has made an error in his life, he needs to deal with that himself.”
It is not known yet when UK Anti-Doping will announce their verdict on whether, and for how long, Hardaker may be suspended.
Wigan will take on Warrington tonight just four days after they arrived back from Australia, where they played Hull and South Sydney Rabbitohs.
And Wane said: “It would never enter my head that we would lose but we need to get a good mindset.”