SAM Powell is scooting towards the rewards of a Wigan career that literally saw him begin for nothing.
For when the hooker first started, if he did not play, he would not get paid.
Today sees the stalwart celebrate 11 years in the Warriors’ first team with a testimonial match against Salford.
But when he was first taken on, he did not have a contract – it was simply a case of ‘you play, we pay.’
However, he would not have had it any other way as not wanting a regular job gave him that spark.
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Powell, who came through as a half back, said: “I first came on a pay as you play deal, then earned an academy contract after four games.
“I just wanted to prove myself. When I was 16-years-old, it was everything I wanted to do and I was on an electronic engineering apprenticeship at the time.
“Gas engineers have handheld units when they test boilers, we’d service and calibrate those machines.
“I didn’t overly enjoy working every day and playing rugby and training was what I wanted to do, even though we’d start at about 5.45am.
“I’d be off on my scooter – a 50cc moped - to Orrell, do an hour-and-a-half there, then it was off to work, finish about 4.30pm then go back to training.
“They were very long days but when I think back, they were good days.”
Even after making the main squad, Powell admits it took him about a year to adjust to full-time training but after making his debut against Hull FC in August 2012, he has won two Super League titles and a Challenge Cup.
And the 30-year-old player you see today is very different than the fresh-faced youngster that first emerged – he has had to evolve, just like his club.
Powell, who admits designing his own shirt was one of the better jobs he has done, added: “When I look back, for the first couple of years it was tough in the middle. I wasn’t as built as I am now and was playing against fully-seasoned professionals. I had to pick it up fast.
“And the club has constantly evolved. We’re always looking for new ideas and how to progress. When I started, we trained at Orrell. Now we’re at Robin Park and the place is world class.
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“But it has to be like that. To get better, you have to evolve.”