Dan Sarginson is aiming to be the right man for the job

Dan Sarginson admits he is still getting to grips with his new role in the Wigan side.
Dan SarginsonDan Sarginson
Dan Sarginson

The 24-year-old has played the last two matches after a shoulder injury disrupted the start to his comeback campaign.

But he is now playing at right centre, having spent most of his previous stint at the club on the left, which is now occupied by Oliver Gildart.

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And ahead of tonight’s showdown at Leeds, Sarginson (right) says he is gradually feeling more comfortable as he adapts to the change.

“I’ve been playing on the left for seven years, now I’m on the right and there’s a lot more to think about than you’d expect,” he said.

“Just simple things like working on a right hand carry, using footwork for different scenarios, it’s miles different.

“Even defending, I’m knocking down the hand-off with a different hand, and it’s pretty mad for me. While I’m on the right, the majority of the tackles are made on my left shoulder, and it’s just a case of programming it into your brain. There are loads of intricate details.

“But it’s coming to me, gradually.

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“Gilly (Oliver Gildart) is a left-sided player, so I don’t mind – it probably adds another string to my bow.”

Sarginson, who returned to the club as a replacement for Anthony Gelling after a season in the NRL, played the first two matches of this season.

But he was then given six games off to rehab a shoulder injury which had hindered his return.

He returned for the Easter Monday win against Hull KR and scored his first try last Saturday, sparking an incredible fightback at Catalans.

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Wigan head to the Rhinos tonight (kick-off 7.45pm) and Sarginson knows first-hand just how dangerous their strike players can be, having lined-up alongside winger Ryan Hall when he broke into the England team in 2014.

“It’s pretty good to play alongside him,” he said.

“With some wingers, you need to do a bit more as a centre – you try and get their winger edging in on you a bit, so they’re a bit off-balance and it gives your winger a better chance to score.

“But Ryan Hall, you don’t have to do anything to get the opposition winger interested! The winger could be ready, waiting for him, but anything from five out and he scores. As a centre, you’re just racking up assists!

“He’s not just one-dimensional – he’s a complete package.

“I know some of the Leeds boys from England and they are quality, I’ve always got on with them, they’re really humble blokes.

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“They’re class players, and we’ve done our homework on them this week and we know we’ll need to contain their back five.

“As much as I get on with them, once we’re on the field it’s a different ball game.”

Sarginson himself has never won at Headingley but he was in the senior set-up with Harlequins beat Leeds in 2011.

“We beat them twice in one year, home and away,” he recalled - he played stand-off in the home match.

“We were bottom or second-bottom of the table but we did the double over Leeds! It was pretty cool, to be fair.”