Dark days gone as Griffin sees light at end of long tunnel

JOSH GRIFFIN is over the “dark days” and feels mentally fortified, ready to get back firing in Super League with Hull FC.

The powerful centre’s last campaign was cruelly ended in June by a freak Achilles injury against St Helens.

Griffin, 31, was tipped to make his England debut just a few weeks later so it was a double blow, also worsened by seeing his club’s form nosedive in miserable fashion.

But thankfully he is set to be fit for Hull’s Super League opener at Wakefield Trinity on Sunday week as he looks to make up for lost time.

“I’m excited to get back out there, out on the field and see where I am at,” said Griffin.

“I’ve tested it as much as I can. The next step is getting into a game now.

“It was one of the worst injuries you can have as an athlete, not just as a rugby player.

“There’ve been some dark days in there, some long days and some days when I’ve doubted myself.

“But there’s a light there now. Hopefully it’s all behind me now.

“I’m probably a better person mentally for it now; it is the longest injury I’ve had to deal with in my whole career.

“I don’t know if I’ll be the same player but I’m confident I can get to a level where I’m happy with playing week in, week out again.”

Hull coach Brett Hodgson firmly believes the strongrunning Challenge Cup winner can recapture his best, when he was one of Super League’s top metre-makers and a constant scourge of defences, and make England’s World Cup squad at the end of the year.

He said: “That is still a massive goal of mine but it is at the back of my mind.

“My first step is just getting back into the FC team and getting some form, build up that confidence in my Achilles and get to a point where I don’t even think about it any more.

“Hopefully, after a couple of games I can be at that stage once again.

“If the World Cup comes, it comes.

“If it doesn’t, I won’t beat myself up about it.

“I’ve had chances before and have grown to live with. Selfishly, I would love to have a crack at it but won’t stress about it.”

Without Griffin, Hull lost nine of their last 10 games in 2021 and he admitted: “It was hard watching.

“Hopefully now I can help us push us back to where we belong.”