20 Feb 2024

Opposition Preview: Hull KR

Round two of the Betfred Super League pits the Rhinos up against Hull KR live on Sky Sports as Rohan Smith's side looks to get their back-to-back wins to kick off the new season.

As matchday approaches, find out more about Willie Peters' Hull KR side here:

Overview

Name: Hull KR

Founded: 1882

Seasons in Super League: 17

Head Coach: Willie Peters

Club Captain: Elliot Minchella

Last three season finishes: 2023 = 4th, 2022 = 8th, 2021 = 6th

Best SL finish: Fourth (2009 and 2023)

Grand Final appearances: 0 (Last Championship Final was 1984-85)

Most career appearances for Salford: Mike Smith (481 plus 8 - 1975 and 1991)

Most career tries for Salford: Roger Millward (207, 1966-80)

So far in 2024...

The new season couldn't have started much better for Hull KR and Willie Peters as they opened their account with a five-try run out against Hull FC last Thursday night. With a host of new players making their debuts in red and white, the Robins didn't look to have missed a beat from the end of last campaign, led by homegrown talents Mikey Lewis and Jez Litten as well as new face Niall Evalds, who crossed for two tries.

Evalds is just one of a handful of names in the Hull KR side that are fitting into Peters' style of play, including Tyrone May who impressed with Catalans last season, as well as Peta Hiku on his return to Super League. Robins fans are also yet to see Joe Burgess and promising youngsters AJ Wallace and Reiss Butterworth too at some point in 2024, amongst other upcoming stars from the club's academy ranks.

Round two pits them against the Rhinos who ran out as winners in James Donaldson's testimonial match between the two clubs, before they take on Salford on the road and Sam Burgess' Warrington Wolves at the start of March. Having made a strong start to 2023 with back-to-back wins before losing their next three, momentum is key for the Robins as well as the visiting Rhinos, who face Catalans and Leigh in their next two games too.

Squad

Ones to Watch

Mikey Lewis

Heading into this season off the back of a breakout campaign in 2023 and international recognition with England, Mikey Lewis is one of the first names on the team sheet for Hull KR. He has a mixture of speed and agility that was on show in round one and on his return to Sewell Group Craven Park for the first league game of the season, he will be out to impress. Breaking down the numbers from his round one performance, Lewis made the second most runs out of any Hull KR player of the field, made almost double the metres of his halves partner Tyrone May and produced two try assists.

Ryan Hall

Coming up against his former side on Thursday night, winger Ryan Hall enters his fourth season with the Robins. Having scored over 200 tries in blue and amber, he has brought his try-scoring talents to the east coast with 46 so far and heading into 2024, he is one of the longest serving players in a new-look back line. Off the back of Shaun Kenny-Dowall's retirement and other player movements, Hall and Tom Opacic are the only starting outside backs that remain from 2023 as Peta Hiku has come in to occupy the full back spot, whilst Evalds and Oliver Gildart also arrived. Gildart and Hall partner up for the first time since the 2019 Great Britain Lions tour but pose a threat to defenses this year.

Kelepi Tanginoa

The forward pack has also seen an update and one of the key figures brought in from relegated Wakefield was back rower Kelepi Tanginoa. As one of the premier second rowers in the competition since he was brought to Trinity midway through the 2019 season, he was previously a member of the Super League Dream Team in 2020 and joins up with Willie Peters having both worked together at Manly in 2017.

Fixtures

Round Two - Vs Leeds Rhinos (Sewell Group Craven Park, 8pm)

Round Three - Vs Salford Red Devils (Salford Stadium, KO 5.30pm)

Round Four - Vs Warrington Wolves (Sewell Group Craven Park, KO 8pm)

Round Five - Vs Huddersfield Giants (John Smith's Stadium, KO 3pm)

Round Six - Vs Hull FC (Sewell Group Craven Park, KO 12.30pm)

Stats Performers

Tries: Niall Evalds (2 tries)

Goals: Peta Hiku (1 goal)

Try Assists: Mikey Lewis (2 try assists)

Tackles: Elliot Minchalla (38 tackles)

Carries: Ryan Hall (21 carries)

Metres: Peta Hiku (156 metres)

Dummy Half Runs: Jez Litten (8 dummy half runs)

Last Super League match

In the opening game of the new season, Hull KR put cross-city rivals Hull FC to the sword with a 22-0 win at the MKM Stadium.

New signing Niall Evalds got off the mark with tries in both halves, along with one from Kelepi Tanginoa, plus homegrown talent Mikey Lewis and Matt Parcell rounded off a resounding performance for Peters' side.