HULL KR prop Mick Weyman hopes to catch the top sides off guard when the Robins begin their 2014 campaign.
Roversface four of last season's top five sides in their first five matches, with Leeds arriving at Craven Park on February 16.
Huddersfield, St Helens and Wigan follow to test Rovers early, but the 29-year-old is looking forward to starting the season with a bang.
"The opening games will tell us where we are at," Weyman told the Mail.
"It'll be good to face those sides early because they might not have found their rhythm.
"Playing Leeds first is good, because they are a fantastic club.
"They have enjoyed success over the years, and it will be a tough opener for us.
"But if we work hard in pre-season like we have this week, then we should be okay."
Before Weyman and his new team take to the field for the new season, they have a gruelling pre-season to manage first.
Two weeks of training in the east Hull cold will be followed by a week in sunny Tenerife, which Rovers have done ahead of the last two seasons.
Weyman, who will wear the number 10 shirt next season, knows he and the rest of the squad will have to make the most of that warm weather training as they look to start 2014 on a winning note.
"The trip to Tenerife will be good for us all," he said.
"It will help the new players to get to know each other.
"We'll be guaranteed training sessions, which wouldn't be the case if we stayed in England.
"Those sessions will help us all get to know more about each other's games.
"I think we'll be ready for it after the first week of training we've had.
"It's been right up there with the toughest starts I've had in my career.
"The first week of pre-season is always a shock to the system, but it has to be done if we are to achieve our goals next season."
If Rovers are to be successful next season, they will need to tighten up their defence.
They had the fifth worst defence in the league, which Weyman is eager to improve next season.
"We have already done a bit of defensive work in training this week," he said.
"Defence wins you games, and if we all do what we are supposed to, we should be a lot better.
"We need to work hard to make sure we iron out the errors that crept into our game last season."
ROVERS have revealed their squad numbers for 2014, with winger Ben Cockayne donning the number two shirt on his return to KR.
Hull KR 2014 squad numbers: 1. Greg Eden, 2. Ben Cockayne, 3. Kris Welham, 4. Sean Gleeson, 5. David Hodgson, 6. Travis Burns, 7. Kris Keating, 8. Justin Poore, 9. Josh Hodgson, 10. Michael Weyman, 11. Kevin Larroyer, 12. Neville Costigan, 13. Jamie Langley, 14. Adam Walker, 15. Graeme Horne, 16. Jason Netherton, 17. Jonny Walker, 18. Liam Salter, 19. Craig Hall, 20. Jordan Cox, 21. Keal Carlile, 22. Rhys Lovegrove, 23. James Green, 24. Omari Caro, 25. Aaron Ollett, 26. Josh Guzdek, 27. Sonny Esslemont, 28. Matthew Beharrell, 29. Connor Robinson, 30. Macauley Hallett, 31. Steven Holker, 32. Enoch Maki, 33. Francis Paniu.
