Hull KR’s Mikey Lewis believes the Betfred Super League leaders have a point to prove for themselves by trying to beat champions Wigan Warriors in Friday night’s blockbuster top-of-the-table clash.
Super League’s top two go head to head live on Sky Sports+ and Sky Sports Action at the Brick Community Stadium – kick-off at 8pm – in a repeat of last year’s Grand Final which Wigan won 9-2 in a match that featured a single try, from the Warriors’ Bevan French.
Lewis, last year’s Man of Steel, admits the nature of French’s try still “hurts a lot” but feels Willie Peters’ side have since taken “a massive forward step”.
That step forward has translated into 18 wins and just three defeats from their first 21 Super League games and, famously in June, a last-gasp victory over Warrington Wolves to clinch the Challenge Cup at Wembley, ending the club’s 40-year trophy drought.
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Joe Burgess’ hat-trick helped Hull KR to dominant 36-6 win over Castleford Tigers
They lead Wigan by four points in the standings and victory on Friday night would see them take a big stride towards winning the League Leaders’ Shield, with five further matches to go before the play-offs.
Speaking to Sky Sports ahead of the mouthwatering encounter, Lewis said: “Going to Wigan is a good place to go. I like playing at Wigan, it’s a good stadium to play at.
“The atmosphere last year was unreal. It felt like a cup final, and I feel like that’s how it’s going to be for the next six weeks.
“It’s going to be another blistering game, and we’re going to be fully prepared to make sure we can get that win and hopefully that’s one step closer to the League Leaders’ [Shield].”
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Highlights from the Super League clash between Warrington Wolves and the Catalans Dragons
Hull KR’s first defeat of the season came in the reverse fixture at Craven Park back in April, when Wigan ran out 28-12 winners.
Asked if it felt like they had a point to prove four months on, Lewis replied: “This is the only team we haven’t beat this year, so we’ve got to go there full of confidence and grind out a good win.
“We have got a point to prove for ourselves, really, to have even more confidence that we can go on their own patch and get two points off them. It’ll help us if we’re going to meet them again this year, why not?”
Hull KR finished two points behind Wigan in 2024’s regular season but have headed this year’s table since March.
“The hard work we put in, we deserve to be where we are, I feel like, and I couldn’t be in a better group to be in, to be honest,” added Lewis.
“We all work hard every day and we give everything in training to make sure we’re best prepared for the weekend.”
Round 22 fixtures and results – all live on Sky Sports
- Thurs August 14: Warrington 30-22 Catalans
- Fri August 15: Wigan vs Hull KR – 8pm (7.30pm on air) – exclusively live on Sky Sports
- Sat August 16: Castleford vs Leeds – 3pm
- Sat August 16: Hull FC vs Leigh – 5.30pm (5pm on air) – exclusively live on Sky Sports
- Sun August 17: St Helens vs Huddersfield – 2.30pm
- Sun August 17: Salford vs Wakefield – 3pm
Watch every Super League game this season live on Sky Sports – including two matches in each round exclusively live, with the remaining four matches each week shown on Sky Sports+ via the red button.
