HE grew up in Sydney and now lives in London but it is getting to the stage where we can probably start calling Adam Hills an honorary Warringtonian.

Every Tuesday the comedian travels from London to the town to train with Warrington Wolves.

The Last Leg presenter, who was born without a right foot, was instrumental in setting up the Wire’s first competitive disability rugby league team.

And now he is fundraising to take the Wolves to Australia in August to compete in the world’s first Disability World Club Challenge against the team he has supported all his life, the South Sydney Rabbitohs.

Adam told Weekend: “I don’t know if this is a poorly judged mid-life crisis or a last throw of the dice but I’m loving every second of it.

“When I was three days’ old my dad brought a red and green toy rabbit into the hospital so I’ve been a Rabbitohs supporter since I was born. I played rugby league when I was in high school. I stopped because it was getting too dangerous to tackle my prosthetic and I wasn’t good enough

“So really this is my last chance. I’m 47. Every week I walk away with more bruises and a little bit more damage to the body.

“I kind of figure I’m at the age where any injury now is an injury for life and I’d rather that be done on the rugby field than bending over to pick up the remote control.”

Adam originally contacted his boyhood club the South Sydney Rabbitohs when they launched their physical disability team.

He wanted to help out but because he was living in England they suggested he reach out to the Warrington Wolves Foundation instead.

The Wire were in the process of setting up their own physical disability team and welcomed the surprise celebrity endorsement.

Adam said: “Now we’ve got a confirmed trip to Australia in August to play against the Rabbitohs.

“It’s nuts. We keep laughing at how much has come together in such a short amount of time.

“We’re adapting the rules from Australia and we’re moving forward with our own competition over here.”

It has started inspiring others as well.

Adam added: “There was a woman from Warrington who ran the London Marathon to raise money for our trip to Australia.

“Other people, who have just found out about it, have come down and started playing. We’ve got one guy who drives up from Devon every week to play on the team.”

So this all leads to the big question – who will Adam be playing for? His childhood heroes or alongside his new friends in the Warrington team?

It is not a decision he is taking lightly.

Adam said: “I think we’ll be playing an exhibition match at the ANZ Stadium before our first game just to drum up publicity for the Club Challenge.

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Russell Crowe

“I might play half for the Wolves and half for the Rabbitohs but when it’s actually for the Club Challenge I think I’m going to play for the Wolves.

“I had dinner with Russell Crowe (who part owns the club) a couple of weeks ago and we were talking about it.

“He said: ‘If you’re going to play for the Rabbitohs you’ve got to respect the jersey. You can’t walk in, put it on and suddenly you’re a South Sydney player. You’ve got to be committed to the team’.

“He’s exactly right. This is a proper sport. I don’t want people to think: ‘Anyone can play, just put on the jersey’.

“I don’t know. I’m going to make my decision when I get there but I want the sport to look its best.

“I’ve been training with the Warrington boys. We’ve got combinations. We know each other’s plays and moves. We can wink at each other and know what’s about to happen.

“I don’t think it would be best for the sport if I threw all that in and played for a team where I don’t have connections.

“It’s massively tough one. If I don’t play for the Rabbitohs I’ll upset Russell Crowe but if I do and I don’t do a good job I’m going to upset him more. It’s all down to what would Russell do?”

As part of the fundraising drive for the Club Challenge, Adam is bringing some of mates from the comedy circuit, including John Bishop, to Parr Hall on Tuesday for a night called Howl With Laughter.

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John Bishop

Adam added: “For a lot of the comedians on the circuit, when you start doing your own solo shows you don’t see each other anymore.

“I was chatting to John last week about how we never catch up.

“We’ve all got kids, we all would rather have a night with them because for the rest of the year you’re on the road.

“So it was a huge thing for him to say yes to this. I’m really glad that he did.

“I remember John up in Edinburgh when he was still working as a pharmaceutical rep.

“He was doing an Edinburgh show by night and then driving back to Liverpool and then working in pharmaceuticals the next day and then coming back to Edinburgh again.”

Justin Moorhouse, Mick Ferry and Rachel Fairburn are also on the bill for a huge night of stand-up.

Adam said: “With a charity gig it’s a lovely feel. The crowd are always in good form because they’re there for a good cause.”

Meanwhile, Adam is also set to release a book called Best Foot Forward about his life and career on July 23. That too has a bit of a Warrington connection.

“Most of it was written on the train on the way up to Warrington,” added Adam.

“I’d get my laptop out and look up two hours later and I’d be in Warrington.

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Most of the book has been written on the train to Bank Quay

“Even today I was recording the audio version of it. This morning I went into Soho in my Wolves training gear and spent two hours reading my own book into a microphone. So the book and the rugby are intertwined.”

The book chronicles everything from childhood tales to his big break and brushes with fame.

It all came about in 2002 when Adam was telling some stories after a gig and someone said he should write it down. So he did – and he’s kept a diary since which made the process of turning his tales into a book much easier.

He said: “At that time I was going to LA and having meetings with Hollywood and auditioning for sitcoms. So all of that was already written before I got the contracts.

“Every comedian’s got the same type of stories. It’s just I was sober enough to remember them and nerdy enough to write them all down.

“Really what comes out in the book is what makes you different makes you unique. This weird little right foot of mine is what made me stand out from everyone else and has led me to where I am now.

“I wanted to put that message in there for anyone who reads it who feels a bit different, a bit of a freak, a bit of a weirdo, to just go embrace it because it what makes you stand out from the crowd.”