TOBY KING knows better than most what Warrington are up against this Saturday – he was part of Wigan’s title-winning team last season.
The centre spent the entire 2023 campaign on loan with the Warriors, helping them win the League Leaders’ Shield and Super League Grand Final.
King missed only one game all year, scoring twelve tries in 31 appearances on his way to a first league title of his career.
His form also brought England honours, having previously represented Ireland, debuting against France in April and then playing twice against Tonga in the autumn.
“It was a really good season there,” King told Rugby League World.
“I loved every minute of it. I’m really thankful to everyone at Wigan for that.
“The environment there and stuff, I won’t go into too much detail but I can see why they’re such a good club.
“The stuff they do on the field and off the field, we wouldn’t go far wrong if we tried doing that as well.”
His time at Wigan was part of an 18-month spell where King was frozen out of Warrington, which started with a loan to Huddersfield in the summer of 2022.
With Daryl Powell, head coach at the time, pushing a major overhaul, King thought his time at the club – whom he debuted for as an 18-year-old in 2014 and won the Challenge Cup in 2019 – was over.
“I just didn’t seem to fit in with the old regime. I think that was the case for quite a lot of people,” he said.
“It was disappointing at the time because we had a lot of players, like Mike Cooper especially, who bled primrose and blue. It was a disappointing way for it to end.
“There were some bad times there. It’s a new set-up now, it’s like a completely different team to when I left it.
“It’s been a long 18 months but I think it has been the making of me. I really loved my time at Wigan, and at Huddersfield.”
Having enjoyed such a memorable year at the DW Stadium, he admits to having mixed feelings about his return to the Wolves when new boss Sam Burgess wanted King to be part of his side.
“The plan was to stay at Wigan. It changed and became out of my control,” said King.
“I was a bit wary coming back, with the way I left it. But I can say now, the reception and stuff I’ve got has been class.
“I think the fans understand the reasons behind closed doors, what was going on at the club and why it didn’t work out for me here before and why I had to go out on loan.
“I’m very grateful to Wigan for that year. It was fantastic to get the icing on the cake at the end of it (with the title). Back here now, it’s a better environment.”
Read the full Toby King interview in Rugby League World 497, out now at totalrl.com/shop.
First published in League Express newspaper, Issue 3,433 (June 3, 2024)
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