Sam Burgess on Warrington Wolves' clash with Hull KR

However, Sam Burgess says the speed of their ascent to the Super League summit also serves as a reminder of how quickly things can change.

Wigan Warriors had built up a healthy advantage at the top of the table while also having the luxury of a game in hand, leading many to think the remainder of the field were playing for second.

However, back-to-back defeats – the last of which was Friday’s 40-4 hammering at Warrington’s hands – has dropped Matt Peet’s men to third behind The Wire and Hull KR, who visit The Halliwell Jones Stadium tomorrow in another titanic, top-of-the-table tussle.

Burgess insists little attention is being paid to how the table looks, with eight games still to play and with Wigan still having their game in hand.

Instead, he is more focused on continuing to build momentum having assembled a five-match winning run.

“I don’t worry about that too much – I just try and stay in the present,” the Wire boss said when asked about his side being top of the pile.

“Wigan were in this spot two weeks ago, so you’ve seen how quickly it can change.

“We don’t get caught up in it – I don’t even know if the players know where we’re sat on the ladder.

“The guys are connected, they’re training hard and getting results together.

“I’d expect us to be close at this time of year but we’re like this after losses as well.

“There’s a bit of energy around the place with some new guys coming in, we get a couple of bodies back this week as well.”

Friday's win at Wigan lifted Wire to the top of Super League (Image: Paul Currie/SWpix.com)

The bodies Burgess mentions beefs up an already healthy squad as prop Joe Philbin, second-rower Lachlan Fitzgibbon and centre Toby King return to contention from injury.

With new signing John Bateman set to make his debut as well having arrived to start his short-term move from Wests Tigers, there are certainly plenty of selection headaches ahead of their third meeting of the year with the Robins.

The previous two have both gone The Wire’s way – a 22-20 Round Four win in East Yorkshire before a 20-8 triumph at The Halliwell Jones Stadium in Round 11 – but Burgess insists both of those games count for nothing now.

“All weeks are important, but we’re both in a similar position on the ladder so it’s probably got a bit more weight for it,” he said.

“Hull KR are a great side and Willie Peters is a great coach so we’re going to be challenged on Friday night.

“We’ve been taking steps forward as a group and we’re looking to do that again while improving in a couple of areas from last week.

“They’ve become a really consistent, well-coached team. They go after certain areas of the game really well and they’ve got some strike players – Mikey Lewis has been in great form. “They’ll bring all of that – Willie’s a diligent coach and he’ll be looking at us thoroughly, and we’ll do the same.

“We’ve played them twice already and they were both tight contests, but those games don’t count for much.

“We’re prepping for a great challenge – there’s no complacency anywhere here. We’re fully aware of what they can bring.”

Toby King runs in a try during the Round 11 home victory over Hull KR (Image: Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com)