Fatherhood helped Jake Wardle deal with his emotions and he’s now ready to deliver for new club Wigan after a “wasted year” of frustration.
The exciting centre can’t wait to get going in 2023 following a bizarre campaign. Returning from a lengthy ankle injury, he failed to make Huddersfield’s Challenge Cup final side against Wigan in May but enjoyed a try-scoring England debut against the Combined Nations All Stars the following month. Nevertheless, barely a week after that, Wardle was surprisingly shipped out on loan to Warrington with fellow centre Toby King moving the other way.
He was left facing a relegation scrap with woeful Wolves and unsure whether he’d stay there or return to Huddersfield next term. But then Wardle secured a shock switch to mighty Wigan on a three-year deal in October. Undoubtedly one of Super League’s most naturally talented three-quarters, he’s now 24 and realises he must start delivering consistently on his rich promise.
Wigan boss Matty Peet hopes to help there and the player admits becoming a dad has also helped bring clarity. Wardle conceded: "This year’s been a big learning curve. A lot of it was to do with me dealing with my emotions. I needed to deal with them better away from rugby and not let that affect my family life.
“I’d the highs of being selected for England and lows like being left out of the Challenge Cup final. In the end, it almost felt like a wasted season. But I’m at that age now where I need to kick on. Hopefully I can with Wigan and be striving for international honours every year. And the thing about being a dad, subconsciously it’s a motivation on the field: you want to do the very best you can to provide the very best you can for him.
“The better I play, the better things in life can hopefully be for Albie. But I know I need to keep rugby as rugby and enjoy my time at home. He turns one on Tuesday so it’s all fun and games at the moment.”
Ironically, Challenge Cup holders Wigan have also snapped up King so they could become centre partners not rivals.
Wardle admitted: “It was a strange one how it worked out: swapping clubs half way through the season but now ending up together at a different club. We’ve had a laugh and joke about it. But it should be good for both of us and we’re looking forward to next year.”
Wardle, who scored 15 tries in 45 Huddersfield games, knows nothing is guaranteed. He said: “When you sign for a club like Wigan you always do have a point to prove. I want to justify why they’ve signed me.”
