Brad Singleton wants to retire at Wigan Warriors and head into coaching
Brad Singleton wants to retire at Wigan and has set his sights on reaching 300 Super League games before he goes into coaching.
The in-form prop believes the Warriors are on to a good thing under head coach Matt Peet and is desperate to remain part of the feel-good factor at the DW Stadium.
“I’m 29 and I have got in my head – having played 180 for Leeds – if I can get to over 120 for Wigan, I’ll be happy there, to do 300 games at Leeds and Wigan,” he told the Love Rugby League podcast.
“I want to get to 34 and retire and see out my days at Wigan as it’s an incredible club. They have been fantastic and if there was a role at Wigan that would be fantastic as well.”
Speaking on this week’s Love Rugby League podcast, the two-time Grand Final winner reveals his plans for the future and reflects on an eventful career of trophy-laden highs and anxiety-fuelled lows.
He said: “There have been massive highs and lows in my career. Leaving Leeds and watching your dream alter and change with rejection too – as I did go in and choose to leave but it was hardly like they were stopping me and I had a year left.
“I’m so grateful to have got to a point of being not wanted and then build yourself back up. I’m proud of myself.
“Then I go to Toronto and don’t get paid for six months and then get injured. But I just stay positive. I knew I’d get a club and it manifested into getting a League Leaders’ Shield that year and just missing another Grand Final ring.”
Toronto Wolfpack struggles
Singleton says the experience of not being paid at the Wolfpack and seeing the club go out of business has helped shape his mentality and outlook on life.
He continued: “Toronto meant I had to be positive. My partner doesn’t work and I had two kids at the time. I’ve lived on my own since 16 and I’ve had to survive.
“You develop coping mechanisms to hold your nerve, step back, realise what’s going on, and control the controllables. I had dad ringing up asking what I was going to do – my mates too. I just said I’ll be ok, and I was. To anyone going through a hard tie, take a step back, hold your nerve and control the controllables.”
Brad Singleton the coach
As for the future, if he gets his wish to see out his playing days with Wigan, Singleton is uncertain what his post-playing life may look like.
He said: “I’m doing my coaching course right now. Do I want to stay in rugby league? I don’t know. Do I want to go back to Barrow? I don’t know.
“Me and my partner feel a bit like gypsies at the moment. We were at Leeds, we thought it would be happy ever after there. Now I’m in Wigan, how long does that last?”
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