Zak Hardaker eyes Leigh supremacy over big brother neighbours Wigan
ZAK Hardaker hopes to get Leigh in an unfamiliar position, looking down on big brother.
The jibe about the town at the other end of the number eight and number 10 bus routes is ‘You’re just a bus stop in Wigan.’
But tonight sees the Leopards look to send the Warriors five miles up the road with their tails between their legs.
And Hardaker, a dyed-in-the-wool West Yorkshireman, knows the feeling after being on the other side of the ‘Battle of the Borough.’
He said: “I can probably guess why there seems to be more resentment from Leigh towards Wigan than the other way around.
“Leigh’s always been looking up to Wigan in the aspects of clubs and the positions they’ve both been in.
“But this is why the fans are getting excited, they can see a team that can beat the likes of Wigan and St Helens.
“And the Saints win was absolutely massive for the club but it doesn’t matter if we’re playing someone from five miles away or 500 miles away, I’ll always play the same.
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“We want to show the people who are behind us that we’re wearing this badge and we’re going to give it a good crack.
“If there’s any pressure, it’s from ourselves. Before the season started, people were talking about relegation or ‘you might not finish bottom.’ We didn’t listen to them. I’ve not thought about the bottom since I joined.
“But if you can’t get up for a derby against the neighbours, I don’t know what you will get up for. So they’ll be coming for us.”
Full back Hardaker, 31, joined Leigh not long after leaving Wigan because he could not cope with the travel.
But things are different now after revealing he signed up because Leeds, where he spent a spell last season, left him waiting.
Sharing with Tom Briscoe, Ben Reynolds, Joe Wardle and Jacob Gannon helps as he added: “It’s weird how life and rugby can change. I moved back to Yorkshire, got a great opportunity at Leeds, but had nothing sorted.
“Leeds said they wanted me. I said I’d love to stay at Leeds but that just went on longer and longer. It got to a point where I couldn’t leave it anymore.
“Leigh came in with a really attractive offer, with plenty going on outside of rugby. I thought, ‘You know what, this sounds and feels really good,’ so I signed.
“We only do one day a week. If you can get through that, you’re fine. I’ve never had a carpool before, I’d always been on my own.
“If it was just me driving, it would probably be the same story as at Wigan.”