As a former New Zealand Warriors and Catalans Dragons player, Wigan centre Adam Keighran has clocked up thousands of miles travelling to and from games - and next month he’ll add the 20,000km round trip to Las Vegas.
Only one problem, though: the 27-year-old Keighran is afraid of flying.
“I’m not a great flyer - I don’t like flying so I’m not enjoying the here to there to there,” the goalkicking three-quarter - who had two months back in Australia at the end of 2024 - told pan66.com ahead of Wigan’s first trial match of the season next weekend.
“Any time that plane moves, any turbulence, my hands are sweaty. I can’t stand it.
“I don’t know... I’m not in control. Flying’s the safest form of transport apparently but you’re just not in control of it... (the fear) is something like that.”
It’s understood Keighran and fellow Cherry and Whites centre Jake Wardle each sometimes require medication to fly due to nerves.
Keighran gets his first try in the NRL
Keighran played nine games for the other Warriors between 2019 and 2020 - some of that in the Covid bubble west of the Tasman - and 25 for Catalans in 2023, when away matches involved smaller private jets travelling between the south of France and England.
“It wasn’t fun,” he recalls ruefully.
“I had a few of the boys there make fun of me every time we jumped on the plane but it’s one of those things that has to be done and it got done."
Keighran’s mum, dad and brother will be on hand to calm his nerves in Sin City for the historic clash with Warrington on March 1.
“A few of my friends actually found out just before I was coming back that I was playing over there,” Keighran said. “They were pretty keen to jump on it so we’ll see if they make it or not."
And Keighran has one relative who might show up in a work capacity - his aunty is long-serving rugby league TV reporter Michelle Keighran-Bishop, who has recently appeared on SEN Radio.
Asked if there are plusses for either of them in their respective jobs, Keighran smiled: “There’s no asking me for little ins and outs or anything like that. It’s a bit easier being over this side of the world as well.
“She’s very proud. I remember her tipping me up as a youngster coming through about speaking to media.
“... to try and not say ‘um’ so many times! But I still do that. And how you finish an answer, not saying ‘yeah’. Little things like that … just about confidence in speaking.”
Warrington kick off their playing campaign for 2025 on Friday night against Widnes at Halliwell Jones Stadium, while Wigan travel to Boundary Park to take on Oldham on Sunday. Few topliners for the Wolves and Warriors are expected to figure in these matches.
Both clubs will be two rounds into the Super League season when they jet out to Nevada.
“It’s cool to be (in) a different country that isn’t around rugby league very often,” Keighran commented.
“Obviously last year was pretty successful for the NRL but to add us in there, for us to be able to experience it, it’s going to be pretty cool.
“It’ll be fun. It’s one of those once-in-a-lifetime things. It’s going to be a good week. It’s going to be different. I’m kind of up in the air as to what to expect.”
And for Adam Keighran, up in the air is not a good place.
Main photo courtesy Callum Pilkington
