World Club Challenge ZAK’S ON A VOW
RUGBY LEAGUE Hardaker: I know it’s my last chance now
ZAK HARDAKER admits it’s now do or die for his career ahead of tonight’s World Club Challenge.
But the troubled full- back is determined to show his future is alive and well by helping Wigan become world champions.
He said: “I won’t get another chance. Before, I think I was a cat with nine lives. Now I have had eight, I’m at the end of my tether.”
Wigan, who take on NRL champions Sydney Roosters at the DW Stadium, snapped up Hardaker during his cocaine ban last year.
Castleford kicked him out after he tested positive in late 2017, wrecking their dream of winning their first Super League title.
Leeds had also previously shown him the door, after a string of shameful offences i nvolving drink, violence and homophobic abuse.
And even Wigan’s offer of salvation was thrown back in their faces when he was charged with drink driving.
Hardaker has often insisted in the past that he will change his destructive way, only to offend again.
He even admits that Wigan would have probably been picking up the pieces of another disaster at some point, even if he hadn’t been done for driving over the limit.
Chance
But Hardaker, who has since been in rehab, claims the penny has dropped now, saying: “I know the guidelines.
“Wigan took a massive chance and then the drink driving was a huge wake-up call for both of us.
“I reckon something would have cropped up over the next four years,
if not that, so maybe it was good that it was so early on.
“Everything was spoken about after that and I have scrapped it now – I’ve not had a drink since.
“It’s not indefinite, not for ever, but at moment I feel pretty good.
“I spend my weekends watching films which is a big contrast to the past 10 years.
“I’ve had a few times when I thought I’ve grown up and have fallen back into the same pattern. I definitely have grown up now.
“I didn’t just want to play and earn as much as I can but to achieve something.
“I’d like to win the Man of Steel again at some point, win trophies, enjoy myself.”
Hardaker has played well in b both Wigan’s games th this year, his debut in th the 22-12 defeat by
S St Helens and in th the 34-16 win over L Leed.
But victory would be another huge step in his comeback from th the nightmare of fe fearing he’d blown al all his chances.
He added: “I’m ju just very fortunate to play in it. Anyone who has just signed an and gets the chance to pl play in a World Club Ch Challenge is massive... bu but even more for me. It would be only my th third game, so it’s pretty sp special.”
Wigan v Sydney