Brad O'Neill insists he will hit the ground running when he returns to action. The Wigan Warriors star is over halfway through a demanding ACL rehab and has vowed to come back a better player after achieving great success in the early stages of his career.

The 22-year-old has won every trophy in the domestic game already, including the World Club Challenge following a heroic display as Wigan defeated Penrith Panthers. Individually, O'Neill has established himself as one of the best hookers in the competition.

A serious injury curtailed his 2024 campaign and saw him miss out on more Old Trafford glory. And while he will also miss the start of the new season, he is ready to make up for lost time when he makes a return, which is scheduled for April.

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"People say it can take a few weeks to get back going but I want to come back hitting the ground running," O'Neill said. "When I come back, it's still a long season and I'll have six months of rugby. The Ashes is on the horizon and that's a personal goal but before that, there is club rugby and I need to get back playing to my best and better than that.

"It's been pretty smooth so far. A couple of weeks ago I was frustrated but now I'm back running and doing some wrestling, I feel like I'm doing more each week. We have a busy start to the year and after that I'll be pretty much there.

"The toughest part was the end of last season, the lads playing and winning the Grand Final. I was proud to be a part of that but also pretty frustrated not to be on the field. It's part of sport. I've cracked on, worked hard, progress is very good and while I've had some tough days where the rehab has been tedious, you need to tick those boxes and do it to the best of your ability."

Last month, Wigan announced that O'Neill had signed a new long-term contract with the club, keeping him at Wigan until the end of the 2029 season.

That will quash any hope for NRL clubs that were tracking his progress, and while O'Neill admits a move overseas is a goal at some point, it's one he doesn't wish to entertain anytime soon.

"Wigan has been my home since I was 14. I've done two ACLs here and they've always stuck by me. The way I feel, it's like home.

"The NRL has always been a dream of mine but at the same time, why would you want to leave Wigan at this moment in time? The culture here, the fact we're winning trophies is a bonus but the place—we have the best facilities in my opinion, the best coaching in my opinion, and just good people all around. So this is where I want to be and I'm looking forward to being here for the coming years.

"It's something I'm sure you've heard a lot but everyone wants to stay and it shows how good a place it is. I can see why other players want to stay and sign long-term deals. It's about the people in the place and off the back of that we're playing good rugby and winning silverware.

"My family is settled, I'm a local lad, it just makes sense. There is a dream of going over there one day, but I love it here and my family do. They live it as I play and my daughter does too. She's got all the kits and she loves Paddy Mago, she's a huge Paddy Mago fan!"

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