A REUNION with old mentor Tony Smith could be the spark to reignite Richie Mathers’ career.

Since rising to stardom with Smith’s championship-winning Leeds side in 2004, difficult spells with NRL side Gold Coast Titans and Wigan Warriors have stalled the full back’s progress.

Mathers made just one appearance for Wigan during the current campaign before picking up a two-game suspension and then falling out of favour with head coach Brian Noble.

But when Martin Gleeson swapped primrose and blue for cherry and white on Monday, Mathers moved in the opposition direction, giving him the opportunity for a fresh start.

The 25-year-old could not turn down the chance to return to Warrington, having enjoyed a stint with their academy as a 13-year-old hopeful and also a loan spell at the club in 2002, while he was trying to make his mark with Leeds.

Equally as important was the chance to work with Wolves’ head of coaching and rugby Smith, who coached Mathers during the best years of his young career at Rhinos.

Smith has a stellar reputation in getting the best out of players and Mathers, who is currently sidelined for around 10 days after a hernia operation, hopes that will enable him to thrive at The Halliwell Jones Stadium after signing on for two-and-a-half years.

He said: “It’s been frustrating recently from a personal point of view.

“Whatever standard you are playing at, you just want to be playing and for whatever reason that didn’t work out.

“But, as they say, when one door opens, another one closes so I’m looking forward to this new opportunity.

“Tony knows me better than most. He had a part to play in my decision to join but when I sit back and look at the squad, it’s a great time to be involved in the club and I do think it is going places.

“I have only turned 25 so I’m looking forward to the next few years as well as the immediate future and I think we can really start challenging up there.”

He added: “Tony has always got the best out of me, he’s very determined, he expects you to put in the work but in return, you know where you stand.

“Tony’s way of thinking is a challenge on all fronts, not just in rugby but in life.

“For what you put in, there’s undoubted reward at the end of it.

“It just takes a lot of sacrifice and if you get 80 or 90 per cent of the squad doing it, it’s great and it becomes infectious.”

That enthusiasm is reciprocated by Smith.

The Australian praised Mathers’ enthusiasm and workrate, seeing him as exactly the type of character needed to build a successful team at Warrington.

But that still does not mean his former pupil will walk straight into the team at his new club.

He said: “Aside from what he can do on the field, he brings a good attitude.

“He’s got a great desire for the game, he loves to play, he’s very enthusiastic on the field but even more than that, he’s very enthusiastic in training. He puts everything in all the time and that becomes infectious.

“He’s the type of character I want to have around this club and those characters help build a successful club.

“I know Richard’s form hasn’t been great for quite some time but he’s got such a desire to get back that I’ve got no doubt he’ll get back to some of that form and beyond it. I’m looking forward to it and I’m as enthusiastic about it as he is.”

He added: “He bought into what I was doing last time I coached him and I’ve got no doubt he’ll buy into it again.

“He knows what to expect from me and I know what to expect from him and that’s a good combination when you’re working together as coach and player.

“He’ll have to earn his stripes, he’s got some competition there and he’s not going to be a walk-up starter.

“He knows that and he likes that sort of challenge. At Leeds, he came in at a time when I replaced Gary Connolly with him and he took his chance and never looked back.

“So he knows reputations don’t matter and that he’ll have to perform well to get his job.”