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Head coach Tony Smith says Hull KR will try to entertain in their bid to improve on 2021's Super League play-off performance.

Rovers' adventure and style was built around the craft of Man of Steel nominee Jordan Abdull, Mikey Lewis and Shaun Kenny-Dowall's offloading game.

They were within 80 minutes of a Grand Final, losing to Catalans in the semis.

"We have to earn the right to be part of those really exciting games," Smith told BBC Sport.

"There's no doubt we want to win games. We don't just go out there and throw the ball around and see what happens.

"There's more to it than that, but it's really important to us to perform well and entertain."

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While Hull KR's veteran coach Tony Smith is contemplating a 21st season in first-grade coaching on Friday night, Wigan's Matt Peet is making his bow in the role on the opposite bench.

Peet took over from Adrian Lam last year as an internal appoontment, following a disappointing finish to the season which ended in play-off defeat by Leeds.

The former Warriors academy player has progressed through the ranks, much like former boss Shaun Wane but without the playing career.

While he would love a fast start, he's in this for the long haul.

"I think it would be helpful," Peet told BBC Super League Show. "It would build some early confidence and momentum. It's easier when you're winning.

"But I'm also prepared for periods where we're not winning. I want this job for a very long time so I'm going to have periods where it's difficult.

"I'll look to be consistent in my preparation, I'd love a great start, but we won our last seven last year and we didn't finish well. So I won't be overreacting one way or the other."

We'll come back to tonight's game with some more build-up, before kick-off.

Don't worry, we won't miss out anything.

But we'll take a look at tomorrow's games in the meantime - with plenty of excitement to build up to over the next few days.

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Despite their defeat in the showpiece final at Old Trafford last term, 2021 was a season to be proud of for Catalans, who added the League Leaders' Shield to their trophy cabinet in a remarkable rise under Steve McNamara.

With higher expectations this season following their maiden Grand Final appearance, reigning Man of Steel Sam Tomkins believes his side are in a prime position to maintain their upward trajectory.

"The little bit of success we had last year breeds expectation," he said.

"The club has gained more sponsorship than ever before and we will have a lot more eyes on us this year, so we know there's a bit more pressure.

"Saints are still the team to beat. They've been the benchmark for three years now and they will be strong again I'm sure - but we know they're not unbeatable."

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Super League has never been won four times in a row, so St Helens have history-making in their sights in 2022.

Having enjoyed special nights at Old Trafford and in a thriller at Hull over the last three years, Saints badly want to go one better.

"The players know how hard it is to win one or two games, let alone a competition, and how hard it is to back that up three years in a row," Saints head coach Kristian Woolf told BBC Sport.

"That's not lost, and our players certainly understand what hard work has given them in terms of success. There is still the same hunger, drive and discipline."

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Champions St Helens have given debut starts to Will Hopoate and Konrad Hurrell; with Joey Lussick and Curtis Sironen running off the bench.

Steve McNamara's Catalans meanwhile have Mitchell Pearce in the halves for his bow, while Dylan Napa plays up top. Utility Tyrone May gets a spot on an otherwise hulking, bulked-up bench.

St Helens: Welsby; Hopoate, Hurrell, Percival, Makinson; Lomax, Dodd; Walmsley, Roby, Lees, Mata'utia, Batchelor, Knowles

Interchanges: Lussick, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Paasi, Sironen

Catalans: Tomkins; Davies, Whare, Langi, Yaha; Pearce, Drinkwater; Dudson, McIlorum, Napa, McMeeken, Whitley, Garcia

Interchanges: Bousquet, May, Dezaria, Kasiano

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What better way to kick of the season than with a repeat of the 2021 Grand Final season closer between champions St Helens and regular season league winners Catalans Dragons?

Saints are gunning for a fourth straight title, something unheard of in the summer era; while Catalans want to go one better than their maiden showpiece experience.

We'll consider both club's seasons to come, plus the rest of Super League, in this live text between now and this evening's result.

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After two tough years for society, let alone sport, there is a sense that life is just starting to get back to some semblance of normality.

Rugby league in 2022, is no exception.

Aussie former player, journalist and coach Roy Masters once called the game "the cockroach of sports", because you just could not kill it.

Thankfully, even after the dark days of Covid lockdowns, empty stadiums and eye-watering balance sheets, he's been proved right.

And, encouragingly rugby league appears more like a butterfly emerging from a chrysalis than a tough-shelled pest of a cockroach, in 2022.

Drink it in. The Super League, the Challenge Cup, a hugely competitive Championship and League One, the Women's Super League and Challenge Cup, and the 'pièce de résistance' - the World Cup - to cap it all off later this autumn.

And, it all starts here for the 12 top flight men's teams.