Brad looks forward to 'special' test on familiar ground

Wigan have already visited Headingley this term, kicking off their campaign with a 20-18 victory over local rivals Leigh.

But this time they’ll be facing the Rhinos – the first time Singleton will do so since swapping Leeds for Toronto two years ago.

“Obviously with the way things have gone (with Covid), I’ve played there a couple of times already,” he said.

“But this will be my first game against Leeds, so it will be that bit more special.

“I look back on my time there as incredible.

“I was in and around the first team from 2010, and we had some incredible years in a fantastic team and I enjoyed every minute of it.”

It was a big call to leave Leeds for a new challenge with Toronto, which clearly didn’t go according to plan – with the Canadian outfit dropping out of the competition midway through last year.

But that inadvertently opened the door for Singleton to join the Warriors, and he’s looking forward to returning to his old stomping ground to show Leeds what they’re missing.

“I think it was the right thing for both parties at the right time,” he reasoned.

“The club was going in one direction, and I felt like I needed the change as well.

“Obviously it soon went downhill at Toronto, but that was still a great experience for me while it lasted.

“I didn’t venture over there but the players and the club were great.

“And in turn, it opened up the opportunity to come to this great club, and it’s been a fantastic move for me.

Singleton is aiming to continue a quite remarkable win-streak since joining Wigan last September.

Apart from the last-gasp Grand Final agony against St Helens, the 28-year-old has won every single one of his games as a Warrior – something he wasn’t even aware of!

“I didn’t realise that...that’s a great stat!” he laughed. “I just hope I can keep it going for as long as I can.

"But obviously a lot of the credit has to go to the other players here, I’m in a fantastic team and a fantastic club.

“When you join Wigan, you learn straight away the responsibility that comes with that, and of wearing the shirt and the badge.

“You’re expected to be fighting for trophies year on year and, if it’s not, there’s something going wrong and it’s not working.

“With the size of this club comes pressure and expectation, and it’s something you have to enjoy and embrace as much as you can.

“I’ll just take each game as it comes. I think we’re all about building for the business end of the season, as is the case with all great teams.”

On that setback against Saints – when Shevington’s Jack Welsby touched down after the hooter to steal the glory and the trophy – Singleton says it can be used as motivation moving forward.

He added: “We don’t speak about the game in particular, or the way it went, and the circumstances.

"But we’re obviously wanting to go one better this year, and the only way to do that is to achieve that Grand Final ring.

“As a group, it’s about plodding away, trying to improve week on week, and getting to a place where we can challenge for trophies.”