2. Wigan Warriors
It was clear for all to see in their fatal final two games of last season that Wigan needed more power and size in the front row, so the signing of George Burgess is key. He’s still only 27 so has improvement in him yet. He brings with him a wealth of NRL experience, combined with his huge frame and aggressive style of play.
Wigan’s backline is impressive: Oliver Gildart and Zak Hardaker are two of Super League’s most dangerous players, and of course the arrival of Jackson Hastings has hit the headlines as he was the best player in Super League last season. He also isn’t injury prone and he has a good attitude, so it’s very difficult to see him being anything but brilliant for Wigan; however it’s clearly a very different challenge to the one at Salford.
Bevan French looks exciting: he has speed and a good rugby league brain, which is a dangerous combination. If their home form remains as strong as ever, and they have reasonable fortune with injuries, they look set to challenge come the back end of the season.
Key Player – Jackson Hastings. If he settles in at Wigan, and performs as well as he did in 2019, he will light up the competition once again.