Matty Russell believes the off-field calm at Warrington can bring on-field benefits

MATTY Russell Mark II is a safer bet to produce the goods second time around Warrington – Mark I has been plagued by a gambling problem which cost him tens of thousands of pounds.

The winger has returned to the club he starred for from 2014 to 2018.

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But he still has scores to settle with the Wolves, he wants to make up for the end of his first stint.

At the time, his demons took over – after all, he was going to lose a £90,000 pot – and it showed.

“Unfinished business is a big reason I came back,” Russell said. “And I’ve been working on myself over the past few years.

“It was more off the field, being a professional in the way I went about my life. That’s something I didn’t really do during my first stint at Warrington.

“Towards the end I struggled the most. I was a big gambler, gambling was bad and it’s affecting your life.

“I was drinking too, it was a bad spiral and as soon as you get a bad thing you’re in a depressed state and that’s what I was in.

“And with the results not going well this year, it really took its toll on me and I took it into the games.

“If you go onto the pitch and there’s something going on at home or off the pitch in your private life, you go there first.

“I didn’t train much, I went in with little motivation.

“But a lot of things come with working on yourself — you get better with things like your diet, your training. I’ve implemented this into my life now and it seems to bring rewards.

“I’m back and I’m fresher than ever. I have a new attitude towards life and look forward to going there again.

“I’ve had some good years and played in some finals, but last year we didn’t do well in the league and Steve Price came in after what was probably my worst season.

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“I have great memories and I loved playing here most of the time. However, this past year the entire team has underperformed. We ended up in the Middle Eights competition.

“As a winger you sometimes get a lot and when Steve came in I didn’t really fit in.

Scotland international Russell has certainly taken a detour back to Warrington.

Throw in a move to the doomed Toronto Wolfpack, from whom he still owes salaries, and a stint at Toulouse, where he suffered relegation last season, and you certainly can’t fault him for not putting in miles.

But even after France’s relegation, the belief that he is a Super League player never wavered and a phone call from Wolves boss Daryl Powell justified his belief.

Russell, 29, added: “I liked the lifestyle in Toulouse and the way the club was run but they didn’t stay – I wanted to play in the Super League straight away.

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“Even though we lost games most weeks, I was still successful and was pushed to keep playing by a lot of colleagues, saying, ‘You have to play Super League every week. You’re too good to be relegated to the championship.’

“That was key for me and Warrington has some great youngsters and full-backs but wanted to add some strength in depth and experience.

“I think they also wanted someone who carried the ball a little bit differently – I just hit the bill.

“It feels a bit strange to be back but I love it here and the training has gone really well.

“It’s an opportunity I probably thought was over, especially at Warrington. After my first time here I didn’t think I would have a chance to play at another good club like Warrington.

“It’s strange, but I’m happy.”