Wigan Warriors fans look ahead to the club's opening Super League game away to Hull KR

Ben Reid

It feels like a lifetime ago to me sitting in the West Stand, head in hands as John Bateman trudges off the field, leaving us down to 12-men, 14-4 behind in the Play Off semi-final against Leeds Rhinos.

We went into that game unbeaten at home, winning all 13 league and one Challenge Cup game at the DW.

It was for me, our away form that could’ve been better in 2022, winning just six from 14, and losing in our last trip to this week's opponents towards the end of the season, albeit with a second string side.

Craven Park is no easy place to go, and with what I expect to be a big and lively crowd, if we don’t hit the ground running, it could be a tricky and nervy afternoon in Yorkshire.

Wigan go into this game as favourites, and rightly so.

I do think Wigan will win this game, and I do think we will win this game by making a bit of a statement to the rest of the league.

It’s week one, away from home, on TV with all eyes on you, it’s a perfect chance to show everyone what Wigan’s going to be about in 2023.

As it stands, we’ve no major injuries going into the game, and had a solid pre-season that ended with a rather impressive win against a strong Salford side.

For a change, there’s no negatives going into the start to our campaign.

I’m excited to see how Jake Wardle and Toby King go after their strong start in Sam Powell’s testimonial game.

You’d imagine Bevan French and Jai Field will be key to our success once again this season, but one thing that will only grow stronger this year will be the partnership between Cade Cust and Harry Smith in the halves. I think both are looking for a strong 2023.

KR will be no pushovers though.

I think with it being an earlier game, on a Saturday, the crowd will be ready for the season to get going and it’ll be a noisy atmosphere.

Wigan need to act early and hopefully go ahead early to quieten the fans down and take control of the game.

Roll on Saturday.

Glynn Bradshaw

I’m looking forward to the game on Saturday, it promises to be an excellent match.

Hull KR have recruited very well in the off season, with a sprinkling of NRL stars allied with the return of Mikey Lewis and Jordan Abdull makes this a formidable challenge first up.

Having said that, if we view ourselves as serious title contenders, we need to improve our away form, compared to last year, when our eight losses on the road cost us the chance to win the League Leaders Shield.

I was quite impressed by our performance against Salford, but this will be a step up, we need to start well again and keep the crowd out of the game.

I’m just a little concerned that we may be a little light in the forwards.

Although I’m quietly pleased with the signing of Hampshire, I would also have liked us to sign a big metre making forward.

Stephen Ford

I’m really looking forward to Saturday and the opening game of the season.

Hull KR with a new coach in ex-Wigan half back Wille Peters, new investors and some new recruits, I think they will be a very tough nut to crack.

Quite a few people are predicting a possible bottom three for KR but I think that if they get a good start to the season then it wouldn’t surprise me if they came close to a play off position or actually achieve a play-off position.

Mikey Lewis will be back for KR and he will be like having a new player as he missed the majority of last season due to injuries.

He has a lot of pace and will give us problems unless we close him down early doors and keep the pressure on him throughout the full 80 minutes.

Batchelor is a decent new recruit from Wakefield and I am assuming that the three Aussie recruits Opacic, Sue and Kennedy will have been signed with the direct approval of Peters so I am expecting that these three to significantly improve KR this season.

KR had a pretty good start to 2022 but faded badly after the Challenge Cup semi-final defeat so I am expecting that they will be looking to make a good sustained effort throughout the season.

Our one to seven for me is the best in the league and the new recruits King and Wardle have on paper, significantly improved an already very good backline.

The recent dry weather will help to use our undoubted pace on Saturday so hopefully, we will see a few exciting tries.

I think that this is the first pre-season that French has had with us so I’m looking forward to hopefully an even better French.

It was only a friendly game last week against Salford but I thought that Cust looked particularly good. He looks a little more slimline and appeared to show more pace than his first season.

I am expecting great things from Cooper this season along with Byrne and Havard in the front row.

Quite a few fans think that we are under cooked in the front row but if Ellis and Mago can step up in their second season then although we have no world class props we do have some strength in depth with a good mix of experience and youth.

I am hoping that with Tommy (Leuluai) in the coaching set-up that we will see a more expansive game from Powell.

A solid player, in a key critical position to beat a wound-up KR, we will need to mix our attacking options.

Powell can and should play a major role in this.

It won’t happen but personally I would have young Forber on the bench.

I think that he is a tremendous prospect and will be pushing for first team appearances in 2023.

I am a little worried about the backrow over the course of the season due to lack of experienced cover. On Saturday I expect Farrell, Isa and Smithies to start but personally, I would go with Kai Pearce-Paul before Isa to give us extra size and his ability to offload.

I genuinely think that it will be a very tough game on Saturday and I wouldn’t be overly surprised if we lost, however, I am hoping that we may sneak it by a couple points.

Robert Kenyon

The season starts on Saturday with a long trip to Hull KR, we have only really had one run out beforehand against Salford in Sam Powell’s testimonial but we looked sharp and impressive.

Last season we came flying out of the blocks and it was the most entertaining rugby I’d seen for a very long time and made me fall in love with the sport again so I’m hoping we do the same again.

I don’t buy into the slow start and build just for the play-offs as going down that route you’re not doing anything for the fans.

It will be good to see how we play with two established centres this season, we also have the accomplished Iain Thornley to come back and maybe rotate with Toby King and Jake Wardle.

I’m hoping to see what Peet’s best line-up is especially with the forwards as we have an abundance of props. Either way I can’t wait.

Darren Wrudd

I love this time of year, the buds are forming on the tree’s, the snowdrops are out in force, blackbirds are singing and snow is still a distinct possibility yet the first game of the season looms large with all the expectancy that a new campaign with everyone reset to zero points brings with it.

The squad is looking better each time I read the team sheet and we have such depth in critical positions this year that I can see a proper rotation of the squad coming into play and forming a huge part of any success we achieve in 2023.

Several fringe players are already out on loan and playing for championship sides which will bring their game on no end.

I look back at players like Charnley who after a loan period came back a much more mature player and cemented his place for years to come.

That is the possibility for some of these lads who have their heart set on a starting spot in years to come.

Everyone is talking of that wonderful partnership of French and Field and I can’t think any team will relish facing them this year, but with Harry Smith, Cade Cust and Sam Powell creating the direction around the park, we should have absolutely no excuses for poor execution as this surely gives us the best creative players in the league.

That said, every team has its star players and Hull KR are no exception.

Mikey Lewis and Jordan Abdul in the halves offer a good mix of experience and energy, same in the pack too with a scattering of younger forwards alongside seasoned veterans King and Linnett it proves to be an interesting opening day for us.

I am so pleased too that the game is on the tellybox from 12.30 on Channel 4.

This opens up the game on terrestrial TV to so many more fans and the link up with Channel 4 was a highlight of last year's TV coverage, a proper breath of fresh air.

Finally, a quick mention for the Red V who are currently down under and ready to play the World Club Challenge on Saturday morning (7.50am our time).

It seems the Australian organisation has not shown much consideration and little respect for the English club unlike the wonderful hospitality we show them when they come up here.

So for that reason, first thing Saturday morning I will be cheering on the English side and would love it if they stuffed the Aussies in their own backyard.

Perhaps then the English game will begin to receive the respect it so deserves.

I may only be able to shout ‘come on England’ though.