WARRINGTON coach Steve Price is urging his side not to underestimate the threat of his predecessor when the Wolves seek to avoid a hat-trick of opening round play-off defeats against Hull KR on Friday night.

Price’s men lost at home to Castleford in 2019 and suffered a surprise loss to Hull in last year’s elimination play-off.

They will once more have home advantage and will be clear favourites against the Robins in the sudden-death tie but Price is wary of a side coached by Tony Smith, who steered Warrington to three Grand Finals during his time at the club.

“They are certainly not underdogs,” said Price, who is hoping to mastermind a maiden Grand Final victory in his last year with the club. “Any team who is still alive this time of year, you certainly don’t underestimate.

“They have a coach there in Tony, who has been around the game for a very long time and we have a lot of respect for.

“Also, they have a lot of quality players. Their left side is one of the most potent left-side attacks in the competition. We need to be on high alert.

“They have a good team and we need to be at our best.”

Smith has transformed the fortunes of Hull KR, turning them from wooden spoonists in 2020 into a top-six team and he says they are not finished yet.

“We just want to keep going, we’re enjoying what we’re doing,” he said. “It’s fun to come to work.

“I don’t think there’ll be many people outside of ourselves who will give us a chance this week, that was probably the case at the start of the year.

“The players were able to prove some of that wrong and it would be nice for that to continue.”