RANGI Chase was ready to dig holes to find happiness and earn a living after quitting Leigh, the complex comeback star has admitted this week.

And the former Man of Steel acknowledged his fleeting appearances for the Centurions weren’t “even up to Championship standard.”

But seven weeks after being released from his Leigh contract Chase is back in the game after re-signing for his first Super League side, Castleford Tigers.

The 30-year-old half back scored two tries in five games for Neil Jukes’ leaders after joining in a blaze of publicity from Salford Red Devils.

Chase spoke about falling back in love with the game after dropping down to the sport’s second tier.

However, in his first media interviews since Tigers announced his shock comeback, the former England international confessed: “I thought I was getting the love back but I was kidding myself.

“I kept trying to tell myself I was okay.

“But I wasn’t. I kept trying to pick myself up and say ‘come on, let’s go, let’s crack on.’

“But I didn’t like getting up for training. It wasn’t the club; it was just where my state of mind was at.

“I got to a point where I would have dug holes if that is what I had to do.

“The state of mind I was in I just wanted to step away from the game and take whatever job I could do.

“This year, I was going to take it completely off.

“But I have a little family to feed and that’s how much I fell out of love with the game that I would have dug holes if need be.

“Sometimes emotions can get the better of you and you need to sit back and relax, and think about things which I have.”

Chase, set for a second Cas coming against Catalans Dragons on Sunday, claims to be in a far happier place.

“I am not match fit but mentally I am in the best shape I have been in,” he said.

“It’s like being a young kid. I am happy about everything. Physically, I have got a bit of work to do but you can get through anything if you are mentally right.”

Despite the great expectations around Chase’s initial capture, Leigh haven’t been harmed by his departure.

On Sunday, they can wrap-up a third successive League Leaders’ Shield with victory over resurgent Halifax at the Leigh Sports Village.

And the resilience shown n last Sunday’s 22-20 comeback win over Bradford was further evidence of the team spirit.

“We will be up against another team desperate to get in the top four,” confirmed Jukes.

“And again we are Leigh Centurions so we are there to be shot at and face everyone’s best performances.

“People might suggest we nicked it (against Bradford) with a minute on the clock.

“But over the course of the game with the missed opportunities I thought we could have put them away a bit earlier.”

n Meanwhile on-song centre Tom Armstrong has been linked with a move to Widnes Vikings next season.

“Irrelevant to what happens next year, Tom epitomises what this team is about at the moment regarding our commitment to wanting to achieve something,” said Jukes.

“And he has got a huge part to play for us this season.”