One England star believes rugby league has found a new home!
Mikey Lewis believes rugby league has found a new home in Hill Dickinson Stadium, describing the atmosphere as “unbelievable” during the second Ashes Test.
It was the first non-football event at the stadium, which opened its doors in February 2025 – initially to 10,000 supporters for an under-18s match against Wigan Athletic, before hosting its first Premier League fixture in August.
A sell-out crowd of 52,106 packed the waterfront stadium for rugby league’s international match between England and Australia, creating a buzzing atmosphere at a facility that cost approximately £800 million.
On the field, the Kangaroos sealed an Ashes victory with a 14-4 result, adding to their 26-6 opening Wembley victory the week prior.
For Lewis – who led Hull KR to a historic treble in 2025 – the experience highlighted the potential for rugby league to return to the home of the Toffees.
“The atmosphere was unbelievable,” said the playmaker, who featured from the interchange bench.
“It’s a fantastic venue for rugby league I reckon. I said to some of the boys, it could be up there for a Magic Weekend if it happened.
“I know fans will want it close to a city centre, but from a player’s perspective, that atmosphere was fantastic. That’s what rugby league is about, the atmosphere, and I felt the Aussies felt that.”
Super League’s Magic Weekend initially faced the axe following the expansion of a 14-team competition – but discussions to keep the event in the calendar remain ongoing.
Various other options have been floated to replace the original concept, including a round of Challenge Cup ties or even a Nines competition.
Newcastle United’s St James’ Park has hosted seven of the last nine Magic Weekends, but Lewis suggested Hill Dickinson Stadium – a 35-minute walk from Liverpool’s city centre – as a future venue for a weekend spectacle.
He added: “Newcastle is a fantastic venue, I’m not taking anything from that.
“But the atmosphere at Everton, there was something about it that was different.
“It felt like everything was on top of you. It holds around 50,000, so I don’t see why they can’t look at it and see what the pros and cons are. Hopefully, one day we’ll get to play here again.”