It’s a culture that’s claimed 21 premierships, 19 Challenge Cups and sees their honour roll decorated by some of the greatest names to ever play rugby league.

It’s also why club great Kris Radlinski plans to leave a lasting mark on the Illawarra when Wigan bring a history-making Super League clash to WIN Stadium on February 10.

The Warriors will host recently crowned Challenge Cup champions Hull FC in Wollongong in what will be the the first regular-season Super League game outside of Europe. 

It’s a grand plan but one Radlinski, now Wigan’s general manager of football, said the club prides itself on making. 

“From a club point of view we’re always trying to push the boundaries and try something new,” Radlinski said.

“Wigan played Warrington in Milwaukee back in 1990 and people went mad, they’re still talking about it to this day. I played in the Wigan v Bath cross-code challenge in 1996.

“It was in the middle of a season and people were asking why the hell we were doing it and yet every year it gets brought up. Hopefully we can do something like that here.

“We want to make the trip so people are afraid to miss it and want to say ‘I was there’.”

Radlinski admits not all fans at home were immediately warm to the idea, but believes most are on board.

“It obviously comes with an element of risk,” Radlinski said.

“Not every single Wigan fan thought that this was a good idea but we explained that, in a competitive marketplace, you’ve got to be willing to look at new opportunities.

“It’s a long way to come, there’s no doubt about that, and we’ll be coming into a very hot season from what will be a very wet England at that time, but you weigh these things up.

“We’re certainly winning them over and we think we’ll have thousands of people coming out here to watch the game.”

While plenty of Wigan fans will make the trip over for the history-making fixture, it’s the new ones that will remain in Wollongong that excite Radlinski most.

It’s why Wigan and Hull, along with the NRL and St George Illawarra, will hold a region-wide gala day for kids two days before ground-breaking clash.

“It’s not about coming to the other side of the world, getting the cheque and going home, it’s much more about embracing the community,” Radlinski said. 

“When I sat our guys down, I said ‘we’re going out there to leave a footprint and I want you out there in the community’.

“They’re all over it because they understand they have a responsibility in playing for this club. 

“It’s why rugby league is so unique. You won’t see opposing teams working together in a week where they’re about to go and play each other but it happens in our sport.

“We want kids around Wollongong growing up loving Wigan players, and Hull players as well. It’s what sports about.

“It’s a great opportunity for the region and to be working with the NRL and St George Illawarra and Hull on something so unique is pretty special for everybody involved.”