Jordan Abdull backs Hull KR to pass 'ultimate test' and show Super League intentions

The Robins have fresh optimism as they prepare to launch the Willie Peters era in front of the Channel 4 cameras on Saturday afternoon.

The Craven Park showdown with Wigan – a repeat of the 2022 opener won comfortably by Matt Peet's side – will provide a yardstick of KR's early progress under Peters.

"They're the ultimate test," said Abdull. "They did a job on us in round one last year so there's that as well.

"They'll be disappointed in the way they finished their season. For all money, it was going to be a Saints-Wigan Grand Final and they get beat by Leeds.

"They've probably had a bee in their bonnet in pre-season and have been taken to some dark places. They'll want to address that as early as possible and show what they're going to be about this year.

"We're under no illusions that it's going to be a tough fixture against a team that should have got to the Grand Final last year.

"We're going to have to be on our A-game to come away with a win. If both teams turn up with their A-games, I'm confident we'll come away with the points."

The round one clash has been a long time coming for Abdull, a player who embodied KR's struggles in 2022.

The playmaker was slow to get going before seeing his season cut short by injury in May.

After enjoying a full pre-season, he is ready to push himself back into England contention.

"It was a tough one," he said as he reflected on last year.

"Especially the position I play, I'd like to say I'm one of the key parts of the machine, so to speak, so I felt I was letting everyone down by not playing the last four or five months of the season, as well as myself.

"Long-term injuries are tough to deal with but once you get the first six weeks of feeling sorry for yourself out of the way you have little goals you want to hit in rehab which gives you something to drive towards.

"Now I'm driven to get back to the form that gave me the chance to represent my country but do it more consistently."

Rovers have reached semi-finals in back-to-back seasons, with the next step getting to a showpiece event and lifting a major trophy.

Abdull is optimistic they will be in the conversation at the end of the year.

"I've got that drive to win something this year as a group," he added. "That makes you want to be better personally as well.

"Looking at the depth of the squad and quality of players we've got, I'm going into the season fully confident that the play-offs will be the bare minimum.

"I'd be so disappointed if we didn't get there."