Matt Peet: Wigan Warriors boss says his side do not lack motivation

The 2026 Super League season will see three new teams featuring – Bradford, York and Toulouse – after the league expanded from 12 to 14 sides.

Wigan abstained from the vote that was held prior to the decision and Peet said it “remains to be seen” whether a bigger competition is a good thing for the sport.

“I don’t know if it’s a good thing or not. That’s the fixture list and they’re the games we go into. There’s some excitement around it from our point of view in terms of visiting new stadiums, opposing new clubs, teams and coaches, so it’s a point of difference,” he added.

“Whether it’s the right thing for the game or not remains to be seen, but I certainly see the understanding behind it. It freshens up the look of the fixture list.”

Chief executive Kris Radlinski said that the success of Hull KR in recent seasons is a net positive for the sport, but urged caution that rugby league should be mindful of the manner of the downfall of Salford Red Devils and Featherstone Rovers last term.

“It’s a remarkable journey they [Hull KR] have been on, and everyone looks at it as a great success story. The reality, though, is that last season we lost two clubs and that’s the harsh financial background this sport is in,” Radlinski added.

“This time last year I was in Las Vegas and I got on the plane full of optimism, then I heard Salford hadn’t been paid, and it brings you back down to earth.

“We love this sport passionately but it drives us to frustration as well. We make great strides but then we get pulled back down to earth with crushing blows. This year is a challenge as well, we’ve gone to 14 teams. Our club’s position is that we felt we didn’t have enough information on that, and still haven’t received it. So we’ve got a long way to go.

“But Hull KR have shown what’s possible. If we can get more stories like that, we’ll all be happy.”