Josh Drinkwater could have thrown a wobbly about being dropped but stayed calm and is now firing up Warrington again.
The Aussie scrum-half was left out by Sam Burgess after returning from a thigh injury earlier this season. But when youngster Leon Hayes suffered a horror ankle fracture dislocation, he returned after an eight-game absence in Friday’s win 24-6 against Hull. And Drinkwater, 31, tomorrow takes on red-hot Hull KR as Warrington bid to move clear at the top of Super League.
On being axed, the ex-Catalans star admitted: “It was tough. The injury wasn’t great and coming back from that, it was hard to change the team. Leon was doing such a great job - such a young kid in his first year playing first-team - and the team was going so well.
“Sam stuck with Leon and I totally understood that. Yes, I was frustrated. I want to play and I’m a competitor. But, I just thought I can’t spit the dummy out; you have to keep training well, prepare each week and if that opportunity comes you’ve got to be ready. That was my mindset.
“It’s a good lesson for every young player; just because you don’t get picked one week, doesn’t mean your season is over. Obviously, it’s sad what’s happened to Leon. But I’ve just got to think about the team now. And it’s exciting to play again.”
Warrington are in second behind champions Wigan but they are two of SIX teams all sharing top spot on 14 points. St Helens, Hull KR, Catalans and Salford are the others but Rovers are arguably in the best form of them all. They defeated Saints 40-20 on Saturday having beaten World Club champions Wigan the week before and, like Warrington, are also in next weekend's Challenge Cup semi-finals.
Drinkwater, who played the 2019 season for the Robins before rejoining Catalans, said: “The table is really close. And not just the top-six but seven and eight are pretty close, too. Hull KR have emerged as the form team in the comp' the last few weeks. They have had some good wins. A few weeks ago we got the victory at their place and they’ll be wanting to come here and do what we did to them. But we’ve had a good week and prepared well.”
He looks set to line up alongside England captain George Williams as Warrington's half-back pairing for the rest of the season now, given Hayes' long-term injury. Drinkwater said: "Leon’s been back in today [Wednesday] for the first time [since injury at Salford on April 27]. He’s obviously on crutches and in a fair bit of pain.
"He’s a local lad and the club and the local community will all get behind him to aid him in his recovery. All the boys are behind him. He’s still young. It is probably a long return to play for him but he’s got time on his side and it’s important he takes his time to get right. I’m sure the club will make sure he does that."
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Meanwhile, Drinkwater, who made a handful of NRL appearances with St George and Wests Tigers earlier in his career, is unsure where he’ll be playing next year. He left Sydney in May 2016 initially joining Championship club Leigh and has been over here ever since. He won the Challenge Cup with Catalans and has now played for four different clubs, five if you include London in his first stint in the UK in 2014.
"Drinkwater admitted: “I haven’t signed anywhere. I’m off contract [at the end of 2024] so I’m a free agent. Things will take care of themselves as they happen.
“I’m not stressed about it. I’ve known about it for a while and understand what happens. I’ll string a few games together and I’ve been around a while so every Super League team knows what I’m about. If they need a half-back they’ll come knocking. If not, it is what it is.”