ONE of the reasons Warrington Wolves fans perhaps look on enviously at neighbours St Helens is that they have Alex Walmsley in their front row.

However, it could have been so different for the England powerhouse who has revealed he had the opportunity to join The Wire’s academy as a youngster.

In an interview with our sister paper The St Helens Star, Walmsley revealed he was approached by Warrington while turning out for Dewsbury Celtic as a youngster.

With his university studies at an advanced stage, however, he chose instead to prioritise his education.

“By 19 I was nominated for young player of the year and had the opportunity to go to Warrington’s academy,” he said.

“John Bastian, who was building the Warrington academy system at the time, invited me over but I was in the second year of my Quantity Surveying degree at Leeds Met.

“That was more important because rugby was just a dream at the time and didn’t want to jeopardise my degree to chase a dream.

“I could have been primrose and blue, but instead I carried on playing with my mates at amateur.”

Walmsley went on to join Batley Bulldogs and an impressive Championship season in 2012 in which he won the division’s Young Player of the Year prize caught the eye of Saints, with whom he signed the following year.

He has gone on to win four Super League titles and a Challenge Cup crown as well as being capped internationally, five times by England and four by Great Britain.