Wigan hooker Mark Riddell will leave the Warriors at the end of the season so he can be with his ill mother in Australia.
Australian hooker will return home for family reasons
Wigan hooker Mark Riddell has announced that he will leave the club at the end of the season in order to be with his ill mother in Australia.
The 29-year-old has made 44 appearances for the Warriors since signing on a three-year deal before the start of the 2009 campaign.
But he will make a premature exit to return to his native Sydney, a decision he says was not easy to make.
"I'm very disappointed that I'll be leaving, we're going very well this year and I love it here," he told the
Wigan Evening Post.
"I stewed over it for a long time but I had to put family first, I had to go that way. It was a tough decision to make, but this is the right one."
Title
Wigan are currently four points clear at the top of the Engage Super League table, putting them in a very strong position to challenge for their first title in the competition for 12 years.
After losing out in the play-off semi-finals to St Helens last season, Riddell is determined to taste Grand Final success before he says goodbye.
"It's the last chance for me," he added.
"We went very close last year in both the cup and the league, we dipped out of the cup earlier than we would have liked this year, and now we're in a great position to have a crack at a Super League title.
"I'll be doing everything I can to make sure I leave with a winner's ring.
"The Wigan players are a great bunch of blokes and I've really enjoyed my time over here. This season, in particular, has been really good.
"That made the decision even harder, but it's the right decision."
