Super League big kick-off: Five things to watch out for in round one

Warrington Wolves and Leeds Rhinos kick off the new campaign in front of the Sky Sports cameras on Thursday night.

Friday sees Wakefield Trinity host Catalans Dragons and Super League new boys Leigh Leopards entertain Salford Red Devils.

Hull KR welcome Wigan Warriors to Craven Park on Saturday before Hull FC face Castleford Tigers on the other side of the city the following afternoon.

Here are five things to watch out for in round one.

New year, new Wire?

The Rhinos are stepping into the unknown as they prepare to face a new-look Warrington desperate to prove they are made of sterner stuff following a disastrous 2022 campaign.

Daryl Powell's attempts to change the culture have suffered an early setback with new signing Josh McGuire banned for seven games after being found guilty of 'disability discrimination'.

Leeds are coming off the back of a disrupted pre-season and have several key men missing but don't be surprised to see Rohan Smith's side come flying out of the blocks.

Master v apprentice

New Wakefield boss Mark Applegarth is front and centre ahead of his Super League bow but once the action begins all eyes will be on an intriguing battle on the field.

Tom Johnstone established himself as one of the best finishers in the game during his time at Belle Vue and taught new wonderkid Lewis Murphy a thing or two along the way.

Johnstone returns with Catalans this week and will be out to prove he is still the king of the spectacular.

Robins seek right start

Willie Peters' first game in charge of Hull KR is a repeat of last year's round one clash with the Warriors at Craven Park, won comfortably by the visitors 24-10.

All five Wigan tries came down KR's right edge, a problem area for the club in recent years.

Tom Opacic – a strong defender viewed as the man to shore up that side – can help Rovers make an early statement by keeping a potent Wigan left edge quiet in front of the Channel 4 cameras.

Westerman in the spotlight

It has been a tough week for Joe Westerman after a video of the loose forward engaged in a sex act with a woman in public went viral.

Westerman has been hit with a substantial fine by Castleford but there is no indication that he has been stood down, meaning he is likely to play against Hull this weekend.

The 33-year-old will have to shut out the terrace taunts on his return to his former club and let his rugby do the talking.

Early Smith impact

The game takes Lee Radford back to the MKM Stadium and he comes up against a familiar foe in new Hull boss Tony Smith.

The Black and Whites have fallen on hard times since winning back-to-back Challenge Cups under Radford, leading them to a past master at resurrecting clubs.

Enthusiasm is a given in round one but nevertheless it is an opportunity to see what kind of impact Smith has had on Hull at the start of his tenure.