Warrington's free-scoring winger Chris Hicks was given the go-ahead to continue his career after his wife decided to sacrifice hers.

The Hicks family were ready to pack their bags and return to Australia at the end of the year in order for Kylie to meet a deadline to keep her teaching job.

Out of contract at the end of his third season in Super League, the former Manly winger was poised to hang up his boots at the age of 33 but then came the sudden about-turn.

"My manager said I'd be mad to retire now and my wife said she didn't want to be the reason I was retiring," he explained.

"If we had gone back at the end of this year, she would have been able to keep her job but she sacrificed that to let me stay on for another year. It's a massive decision. I didn't expect her to do it.

"We've enjoyed our time over here. It was bit of a transition at first but this is sort of home now.

"It's been a work in progress since we got here and it's got to the stage where it would have been hard to leave this year, with success just around the corner I think."

Hicks last week signed a new contract for 2011 and will seek to justify the club's faith in him by adding to his 24 tries for the season when double-chasing Warrington take on Catalans Dragons in Perpignan.

The Wolves need the points to keep the pressure on leaders Wigan following their notable win at the DW Stadium last Friday and also have the chance to gain a psychological advantage ahead of next month's Challenge Cup semi-final against the Dragons in Widnes.

The Dragons are rooted to the foot of the table with just four wins from 22 matches but Hicks believes the Cup holders would be foolish to under-estimate the challenge of the Frenchmen.

"It's a dangerous game," he explained. "We were in their shoes last year - we were languishing in the League and only really had one thing to look forward to.

"We were playing bust, but we were jumping out of our skins to try to get to Wembley. We went on to win it and they probably think they can do the same thing."

In this evening's other game, Hull KR will be out to maintain their impressive home record when struggling Bradford visit Craven Park.

It is nearly four months since the Robins last experienced defeat in front of their own fans and their scalps include both of last year's Grand Finalists Leeds and St Helens.

The Bulls have won just twice since gaining a season's best 40-4 victory over Rovers at Odsal in April and a 10th straight defeat in all competitions would represent their worst run since the club was reformed in 1964.

"It's going to be a tough one for us to go there," admitted Bradford's caretaker-coach Lee St Hilaire.

"They are well coached by Justin Morgan and he's got some quality players at his disposal."

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