Zak Hardaker hoping Wigan Warriors can put Super League 'on the map' in World Club Challenge

The 27-year-old knows how much the competition means to the Wigan fans- they’ve told him often enough.

“The fans remind you. This is one they’ve been speaking about for weeks,” smiled the fullback.

But Hardaker has been keeping his focus on the games that have come prior to Sunday’s show piece.

“They’ve been grabbing me in the supermarket and asking me about the World Club Challenge,” he said.

“I’m like, ‘We’ve got St Helens next week I’m concentrating on that!’”

With a defeat to Saints and a victory over Leeds out the way, the fullback is now “really looking forward to it.”

This game will come as a big one for Hardaker, who won the competition in 2012 with Leeds, and it’s only his third game back since completing a doping ban which wiped out his entire 2018 season.

He added: “They’re a very big, physical side - not just the forwards. They like to have the ball a lot because the possession-game is massive in Australia.”

And he thinks the importance of Wigan winning tomorrow is not just being felt by the club and its own supporters.

You don’t want to be looked upon as the worse competition or the lesser grade,” said the 27-year-old.

“You want to put Super League on the map. Whenever I’ve not been playing in World Club Challenges I’ve wanted the Super League team to beat the Aussies.

“You want the bragging rights and I’m sure most clubs and quite a lot of players will be behind us. Not publicly, but I know some of the boys will be wanting us to win.”

Despite the quality of the Roosters Hardaker can see plenty of things in favour of the Warriors.

He said: “Weather, home advantage - there are some variables going out on Sunday, and if we can play our best hopefully, we get a win.”

Elsewhere in the Wigan team, Oliver Gildart will be hoping to get a World Club Challenge victory that will give him bragging rights in his own family.

Gildart’s father, Ian, has two winners’ medals having been on the bench in ’87 and played in ’91, when Wigan claimed their first two titles.

The younger Gildart has already won one, in 2017 against Cronulla Sharks.

“Looking back now I understand how hard it is to win one of them and they don’t come around often,” he said.

“I appreciate it a lot more now, probably harder to win one of those than a Grand Final.”

That game two years ago gives the 22-year-old confidence as it made him realise Australian sides are beatable.

“They’re not super human, it’s a level playing field and we proved that,” he said.

“I get another shot this weekend, where I can equal things with my dad.

“Hopefully we can get another star for the club.”

Gildart has been impressed with the Roosters recently though, and drew comparisons to the Super League Champions.

“They are similar to Wigan in terms of they have a lot of really good senior players and youngsters who have a big role in the team,” he said.