Gareth Hock happy to have achieved goals on return

Gareth Hock says two of his goals coming back from his drugs ban was to get silverware and make the England squad.

Hock has now achieved both, after playing for England against the Exiles earlier this season and being part of the Wigan side which lifted the League Leaders’ Shield last Friday.

But the 29-year old has yet to win at Old Trafford, and is determined to emulate Wigan’s Super League success in 2010 which he missed because of his ban.

Hock said: “It’ll be hard but we have a good chance as any other team. We have Catalan this week and then obviously Warrington and Saints are in the mix for a Grand Final spot too.”

Hock has transformed as a player following his ban after testing positive for cocaine in 2009. After being named in this season’s Super League Dream Team, he described how he turned his career around as he made a return to rugby league in June last year.

He said: “When I came back last year during the season I knew I would be struggling with my fitness.

“But coming back for this year I had a full pre-season under my belt and my goal was to get back where I left off.”

Hock has played 35 times for Wigan since returning to action against Huddersfield midway through last season.