I’m one of the top scorers in the Super League, but I’m planning a career change
JOSH CHARNLEY is laying the foundation for life after Super League – by working on a construction site.
But the Leigh Leopards winger will first want to cement his place as the league’s top scorer.
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Charnley, 32, was overturned in the opening defeat to Huddersfield last weekend to take his tally to 231 – just 16 behind Danny McGuire’s 247.
But as he says, he will still be working on building sites, which he does on his day off as he prepares for life after rugby league – currently a school in Blackburn and a house in Chorley.
He said: “And I’m trying to learn different parts of the construction business, but also the business side of it. It provides a platform for life after rugby, the construction industry is for me.
“It’s just like being at Leigh, we have structure and a plan. It’s pretty much the same as rugby, just without being battered for 80 minutes.”
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Charnley also helps his non-verbal son Axel, 5, and has named the charity Autism Beaudon Understanding Kindness (ABUK) as one of the causes he will be raising money for.
The winger added: “It’s tough, but every day is different at Axel.
“He’s non-verbal, which is the hardest part. He’s making progress, but he’s on a steady curve. However, he is not taking a step back and his small victories are huge for us.
“If he says a new word or does something new, that’s a good win for the day.
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‘He will make certain noises that I don’t know, but that my wife Zoe will understand. We learn with him every day, but he gets better every day.
“He will speak, but it will be on his own terms. His progression will be slower, but every autistic child is different, every person is different. He learns in new environments every day, which is good for him and for us.
‘He’s starting to say more words now. It’s difficult, but as a family we support him enormously and we have good people around us.
“And he is great in competitions, he is not bothered by noise.
“I have three charities associated with my testimonial: Derian House, a charity in Chorley, Joining Jack and ABUK.”
“My testimony makes me feel a little old, but I can look back at people’s wills and what they say about me.
“I had Sam Tomkins, Kris Radlinski and Sam Powell at my first dinner. It was a special room that day – and no one sold me on it!”
Leigh’s impact on Super League last season after the promotion expanded beyond the stage where big-name bands performed as matches were turned into events.
A Challenge Cup victory at Wembley ended a 52-year wait for that trophy and Adrian Lam guided his men to a play-off spot.
Charnley added: “The foundations have already been laid. It’s just trying to connect the dots, and that’s what we’ve been working on in preparation.
“We were a close group and the new boys really believed in who we are.
“Everyone wrote us off last year – now we have to do better than in 2023. People now know what we stand for, we have to work on us.”