Wigan Warriors star Joe Greenwood already planning return to work

The Warriors forward, who joined from Gold Coast Titans midway through 2018, returned to work a week early to get a head start for the new year.

And while the players have officially been given a break over Christmas, the gym is remaining open, and Greenwood intends to make good use of it.

“The fitness coaches keep the gym open so there are two or three days where we can come in and burn that Christmas turkey off,” he said.

“As long as you come in, we’re going to do that anyway, and I’ll do that myself because all the hard work you’ve done for Christmas, you don’t want to lose anything.

“With us having eight or nine days off you just want to break it up a little bit and kick on again for the new year.”

Greenwood has made a good impression since joining Wigan in June, forcing his way into Wayne Bennett’s England side for last autumn’s Test Series against New Zealand after helping

the Warriors to Grand Final success.

But far from being content with his achievements, Greenwood is looking to improve under new coach Adrian Lam next term.

“The four weeks I had off, I felt like I’d had a good rest so I came back a week early just to get back into the swing of things,” he said.

“For now it’s just little targets. Play well each week, give myself little standards and it’s just keep looking to improve and hopefully by the end of the year we get to the same position as last year.

“In the meantime it’s just little targets of playing well each week and just improving my game.”

With less than five weeks to go until the season starts when the players return to work in the new year, Greenwood is looking forward to the blockbuster start to 2019, including a World

Club Challenge and the small matter of starting their title defence against his former club St Helens.

“It’s game on and it comes early. It comes round so quick, in the next three or four weeks the season will be starting. We’re looking forward to it,” he said.

“We’re going to be all guns blazing. Lammy is preparing us well and we’re going through each stage now and getting there slowly. He wants to make sure we’re all on board with the new plays so we can kick on and fire on.

“He’s brought his own tactics in and he’s good to learn from and we’re learning each day. The team has good morale and we’re pushing in the right direction and we’re looking forward to the start of the season. You just want to be on top of your game.”