Warrington hot-head Gil Dudson admits he must adapt his game quickly and can’t afford any more “brain explosions.”
The Wales prop, 32, has completed a five-match ban for inexplicably punching Catalans winger Tom Johnstone during last month’s Super League win in Perpignan. He was red-carded for the rash act on his grounded opponent but ironically could return at the same venue as Wolves are back there for Saturday’s mouthwatering Challenge Cup tie. Dudson joined Daryl Powell’s side from Catalans ahead of this campaign but has only managed three games having also broken his hand in a pre-season friendly.
Speaking about the Johnstone incident publicly for the first time, he said: “I didn’t even know I’d done it until I saw it on the replay. I thought I’d just palmed him in the face. He was shouting and hitting out as you do when playing the ball and I thought I’d just shoved him. But it was a closed palm. It was a bit of a brain explosion from me.
“I can’t wait to get playing again. It’s been stop-start for me so far here so I do need to get myself going this year. I know I need to play week on week to get the best out of myself. The broken hand didn’t start things off well but you can’t do anything about that. The suspension, though, was on me. I hold my hands up. It was a rush of blood to the head. I have to make it right now and kick on for the rest of the year to help the boys out.”
Dudson, sent off in his final game for Catalans last year after head butting Leeds’ Aidan Sezer, knows he can’t let his temper fray again as it did with Johnstone. He added: “When I first started playing that was something or nothing. But the game is trying to work its way out from that type of player with some of the (concussion) stuff going on.
“The game’s moved forward now and they are cracking down on things even with inside pressures and kick pressures. You get that a second wrong you could be going off for ten minutes. You have to adapt to the way the game’s going and play within the confines of the rules.”
Warrington, meanwhile, have made a cracking start, shooting top with ten wins from 12 outings. Dudson, who won the 2013 Challenge Cup with Wigan, added: “The boys are playing amazing. It is great. I can’t really chuck my hat in with that as I’ve only played three games. We’ll have to play exceptionally well again in Perpignan. It’ll be a real hostile environment as it always is.
“And I might receive some special treatment from the fans but it’s part and parcel of the game. The Challenge Cup is a really special tournament. Warrington has a rich history in it so to be a part of that and winning it again would be special.”
