YOU have to admire the fighting spirit in Simon Grix.

He had more setbacks as a Wolves player than he would care to remember. He has certainly given Sylvester Stallone’s character a run for his money in the Rocky film series.

Grix’s ability to get up off the canvas stronger and better is the stuff of legends at The Halliwell Jones Stadium and he is going through that again now as he aims to make a comeback as a player for hometown club Halifax this year, on the back of that horror spiral fracture of both the tibia and fibula in his left leg in a Wolves win at St Helens 16 months ago.

After a fractured and dislocated ankle in 2004, followed by a shoulder reconstruction in 2005, a determined Grix did not allow the serious setbacks derail a career that – albeit disrupted at times by further injury problems – flourished under Tony Smith when he was finally able to benefit from long runs in the team without issue.

Certainly a fit and firing Grix was one of Wolves’ most consistent performers in one of the club’s most successful spells between 2009 and 2013, and he was a mainstay of the team during that period. That included the side that won the League Leaders’ Trophy in record-breaking fashion in 2011.

But rugby league can be as heartbreaking as it is bone-crushing at times.

Grix missed all three Challenge Cup Final and semi-final successes under Smith due to a shoulder injury (2009), recovery from viral pneumonia (2010) and loss of form while on the comeback from a pectoral injury (2012). Did he walk under a ladder at an early age or something?

He did feature in the team for the club’s only Super League Grand Finals of 2012 and 2013, but despite the titanic efforts in reaching Old Trafford he was on the losing side both times.

All who know him do not see the justice in any of that for the commitment, dedication and passion Grix has shown for the primrose and blue cause but the man himself has always stayed strong to his qualities, shrugged his shoulders and just got on with the job.

A key element of Grix’s importance to the Wolves squad over the years was his ability as a utility player – appearing in his preferred back-row position, in the halves, at centre or even at hooker when needed to do so.

That made him the ultimate team man and highly respected by his peers.

Never were his qualities more in evidence than in the Grand Final against Wigan at Old Trafford in 2013.

After scoring twice in the tough semi-final defeat of Huddersfield, his vision and strength from close quarters bagged Warrington’s second try as a 16-2 lead was constructed.

Then not only did Wolves end up without the strike power of top try scorer Joel Monaghan (concussion, 37mins), player’s player of the year Stefan Ratchford (ankle ligaments, 51mins) and hard-working forward Ben Harrison (pelvic injury, 51mins), Grix was one of four Wire forwards with their own war wounds who somehow managed to battle on.

Starting second rower Grix sandwiched a brief period at left centre with two spells on the right flank in a courageous bid to help Wolves lift the title for the first time since 1955.

Wigan proved to be too good in the end and Grix, like in his career on the whole so far, did not get the rewards that his efforts deserved.