Fylde coast rugby league ace Harry Rushton arrives in Australia after exciting move from Wigan

Harry Rushton (right) in action for Wigan on his Super League debut against St Helens

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The back row forward from Thornton Cleveleys, who only turned 19 last month, has left Super League club Wigan Warriors after agreeing a three-year deal with the National Rugby League team in the Australian capital.

Rushton is now completing a quarantine period in Sydney before linking up with his new team-mates for pre-season.

Harry caught Canberra’s eye as an ever-present in the Warriors’ all-conquering Academy side last year.

His thorough education in the RL hotbed of Wigan began when Rushton joined top amateur club St Patrick’s at the age of six.

He told the Raiders website: “It’s exciting for me. Being in quarantine has got me hyped up to start pre-season.

“I’ve not had a full pre-season with a first-team yet. Last year I’d just turned 18, so it was mixed – some with the academy and some with the first-team.

“I’m starting from the bottom and proving myself. I want to show that I deserve every chance I get, whether that’s Under-21s to reserves and hopefully in the first-team.”

Rushton admits it felt “surreal” to learn of Canberra’s interest shortly after helping Wigan to last year’s academy Grand Final triumph.

He sealed his move over the summer and completed the 2020 season with Wigan, having achieved his ambition of making a Super League debut this year.

The came as a member of a youthful Wigan side defeated by arch-rivals St Helens in September.

Wigan avenged that defeat to lift the League Leaders’ Shield but Saints had the last laugh, coming out on top in the most dramatic of Grand Finals last Friday.

Rushton followed Blackpool-born Joe Bullock, a former Blackpool Scorpions amateur, into the Wigan side.

Prop Bullock was among the heartbroken Wigan players who gave their all in last weekend’s compelling showpiece at Hull.

Rushton links up with two former Wigan players at Canberra in fellow forward Ryan Sutton and international half-back George Williams.

“I don’t know them personally but it will be good to have two boys from where I am,” added Rushton, who has been training in his hotel room while in isolation.

“I finished the season with Wigan quite fit and strong, and if I can keep that up I can hit the ground running with the Raiders.”