THERE are players at every club who are held in higher esteem in dressing rooms than they are on the terraces.

That is not always a bad thing in a sport such as rugby league, where plenty of unseen hard graft is needed to set up the game-breaking moments.

Jack Hughes probably falls into that category – teammates and coaches speak glowingly of his contributions but those voices are not necessarily echoed by some Wire supporters.

I am interested to see the effect Daryl Powell’s coaching has on every player in the Wire squad, but the impact it has on the current Wire skipper could be most intriguing.

Whether or not he keeps the captaincy is a decision Powell will likely make a bit further into pre-season, but we already know his role within the team is set to change.

Pretty much since he arrived at the club, his position in the second row has been his in any first-choice Warrington Wolves team.

Yes, the “team-first” demeanour that endears him to so many has seen him cover roles he is less comfortable in – playing at stand-off at Wembley in 2019 being the most notable example – but that position on the right edge has had his name on it for years.

The arrival of Oliver Holmes – another established back-rower who it is fair to say offers a little more in attack – made that position uncertain and it seems he will get the nod to start there with everyone fit and available.

As such, Powell has affirmed he will use Hughes – a Great Britain international let’s not forget – as more of a middle player from now on. Handing him the number 13 jersey says as much.

It is a move that has been mooted for him and as his career develops, I think it is a role he will perform well.

Personally, I think some of his best displays in 2021 came when he was moved into the middle – the home game against Salford Red Devils sticks out.

He is not the old-fashioned lock forward Billy Magoulias is billed as, nor is he a third prop – he is probably somewhere in between the two.

Of course, Powell has promised a more expansive style of play and that is what we all want to see, but this is rugby league. It is not always pretty.

There will be plenty of rolling up of sleeves and hard graft to be done, and that is where Hughes comes in.

The likes and Matt Davis and Jason Clark like that kind of thing, too, and with Magoulias added to the mix, there is plenty of competition for the loose forward role.

It will certainly be interesting to see the impact of a new position on the Warrington skipper.

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