Wigan Warriors head coach Matty Peet has addressed the issue of Zak Hardaker in his pre-match press conference ahead of the visit of Salford Red Devils on Sunday.
“Firstly, I want to put on record, best wishes to Zak,” Peet told Wigan Today.
“There’s a genuine desire to see him thrive as a person. We know he can play rugby, but we just want to have a happy and content life. Whatever support he needs the club and the game is still there for him.
“I know what culture we are trying to build, and to have standards you need to have accountability, whether that or people not remaining on the journey and that’s where it’s got to.
“It’s a consistent theme that we have standards and breaching what is expected.
“I don’t take it personal. I’m disappointed for Zak because he wanted to make it work here, but it wasn’t meant to be. There’s got to be accountability when people make similar mistakes, we have to see people learning from them.”
Hardaker, who signed in May 2018, has left Wigan with immediate effect, which enables him to return to his family base in Yorkshire to pursue career opportunities closer to home.
Wigan Warriors Executive Director, Kris Radlinski, said: “Zak Hardaker is a hugely talented player, universally liked by team mates and staff. Everybody at Wigan Warriors has done everything they could to provide him with the platform he needed to shine at the highest level.
“As a consequence we are all extremely disappointed that his time at the Club has had to end in this way. We wish him all the best for the future.”
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