NEW Castleford Tigers signing Josh Simm has admitted that the almost quit rugby league after ‘dark days’ following St Helens’ Challenge Cup semi-final defeat to the Wigan Warriors in 2022.
Saints went down 20-18 in that game as Wigan went on to lift the Challenge Cup at Tottenham Hotspur that year.
Simm didn’t play another game for the Merseyside club in 2022, instead registering five appearances for Hull FC on-loan.
It is that semi-final that haunted him for a week, but Simm also feels that he deserved more of a chance under then head coach Kristian Woolf.
“When I was playing at Saints, I was behind a few of the lads and I thought I could have had more of a crack. I didn’t want to sit there and moan so I went on loan to Hull FC and Leigh,” Simm told BBC Radio Leeds.
“I wasn’t there to sulk about, if I wasn’t in the team then I wanted to be playing elsewhere. I did get my chance but then it went really bad in the Challenge Cup semi-final. I’d never had a bad game at professional level but that hit me really hard as a player and person.
“It was one of my first games at professional level, but each to their own. It led to a few (dark days), I was in my room for a week and I remember saying to my mum ‘I don’t want to play rugby league anymore.’
“I got a lot of messages from supposed fans but that comes with part of the game. It really hit me hard. I’m now back to prove a point.”
Simm still does believe that he can become one of the best outside backs in Super League.
“I want to be one of the best outside backs in the competition and I believe I can do that. I want to play centre, I want to be one of the best in the competition.”
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