 Radlinski is fit after a winter of injury and frustration |
Kris Radlinski will lead the Wigan Warriors into action against Salford for their opening game of Super League X on Friday.
The 28-year-old full-back will do so with the same sense of pride he feels every time he wears the captain's armband.
But this time Radlinski knows that but for a chance visit from an old friend it could have been a very different story.
As winter closed in last year and the Great Britain team moved towards the final of the Tri-Nations, Radlinski was wondering what his future held.
A back injury had forced his withdrawal from the squad on the eve of Britain's first game of the tournament and scans had failed to diagnose the problem.
An operation seemed the only option, leaving Radlinski facing six months on the sidelines.
But a chance visit changed all that.
"On the day of the first Test, Rob Harris, a physio who used to work with us at Wigan, came knocking at my door," Radlinski told BBC Sport.
"He'd heard I might need an operation and said he wouldn't be able to forgive himself if he let me have surgery without checking me out first.
"Rob did a once-over and I have been seeing him ever since. He gave me a rehabilitation programme, which I've followed, and it has cured the problem."
 |  The buck stops with the players and they have to perform this year |
The injury, it turned out, was two stress fractures in the bottom of his back, and Radlinski says: "If it wasn't for Rob, God knows where I would be."
Instead, Radlinski, in his testimonial year, will deputise for injured skipper Andy Farrell and hope to lead Wigan through what could be a tricky start to the season.
Farrell could be missing until June while Luke Davico's Wigan career ended before it began.
The Australian prop suffered a recurrence of a pectoral muscle problem in pre-season and had his contract torn up so he could return home to recuperate.
"We're just suffering at the moment with our front row situation but it will work its way out," said Radlinski.
"We've just got to be as strong as we can for three or four weeks until we start getting players back.
"I believe there are a couple of signings on the way, possibly even a front rower, so we just have to keep our heads down and keep working.
"Other teams will suffer injuries throughout the season. It is just bad luck for us that we have had all ours before the season kicks off."
Injuries aside, Radlinski is happy with the pre-season preparations.
A 10-day training break in Florida comprised three sessions a day, including a couple with former Olympic sprinter Dennis Mitchell.
 The injury to Davico has left Wigan light up front |
New coach Andy Farrar has settled in well, his reputation in the game instantly winning the respect of the players.
"You notice the little things. He pulls you to one side and tells you stuff and it is good to hear a new voice and a different man's opinion," said Radlinski.
As for head coach Denis Betts, he takes charge of his first full season and has impressed Radlinski with his ideas and enthusiasm.
But for Radlinski, there is no doubt that the responsibility lies with the players at the club.
"The buck stops with the us and we have to perform this year," he said.
"I've been at the club quite a while now and there are a lot of coaches that seem to have come and gone. That is not the way to go.
"It is the players who drop the balls and make the mistakes not the coaches, so that is one thing we will be looking to put right."
And how far does Radlinski think Wigan can go?
"What we have learnt through the Super League seasons is that is it imperative to finish as high as possible," he said.
"It's a tough ask to win this competition when finishing fifth or fourth - you need one of those top three positions."
Fit again and raring to go, Radlinski will be doing everything in his power over the coming months to make sure his beloved Wigan get there.
MMIX
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