CALLUM WALKER looks back over a season that saw the Robins fail to stay at the top.
The hope
Hull KR had just come off the back of a treble-winning season that had smashed the glass ceiling in Super League, so the expectation going into 2026 was massive.
Everyone perhaps knew it was going to be a slow start, with Rovers heading to Las Vegas to take on Leeds Rhinos, whilst a World Club Challenge date with Brisbane Broncos the previous week enabled the East Yorkshire club to hold all four available trophies at the same time.
The question that was on everyone’s lips, however, was whether they could replicate their form of 2025 in 2026.
Tom Amone and Karl Lawton were brought in to reinforce the Rovers pack, with youngsters Jumah Sambou, Declan Murphy and Cobie Wainhouse also joining Rovers’ ranks.
The reality
It’s safe to say that the impact Michael McIlorum and Jared Waerea-Hargreaves had had on the Hull KR group in 2025 should not be underestimated.
At times in 2026, Rovers looked void of leadership, though a 30-24 win over Brisbane did crown Willie Peters’ men as world club champions. Just the week after, however, they went down 58-6 to Leeds in Vegas.
At times, Rovers appeared to be getting back to their best when a nine-match winning run took them to second on the Super League ladder and a Challenge Cup Final.
But that was seemingly short-lived as five losses in their last six games saw them crash out of the play-offs at the first time of asking to Warrington Wolves.
Star man Mikey Lewis also found himself in hot water on several occasions for ill-discipline on the field.
After scooping up four trophies in 2025 and early 2026, Rovers found themselves without silverware for the remainder of the year.
And head coach Willie Peters’ tenure at Craven Park came to an end, with his move to the PNG Chiefs having been confirmed in March.
Best players
Jez Litten was still one of Rovers’ most dangerous players, although he didn’t hit the heights of 2025 – but no one really did for the Robins.
Tyrone May could have played in a dinner suit in the first half of the season and was initially named third in the Steve Prescott Man of Steel charts from Rounds 1-9.
Winger Tom Davies found the form of his life in 2026, running for 4,161 metres and scoring 13 tries, with many feeling Davies had been unlucky to have been overlooked for a spot in England’s World Cup side.
Dean Hadley also never took a backwards step.
In quotes
“Unbelievable. It was exactly how we wanted to play. We had a plan and executed it perfectly. It means a lot. We knew how big this game was. No Hull KR team has ever been involved in a game like this before. I would have been proud of them if it had gone the other way but they didn’t deserve to lose that.” – Willie Peters after Hull KR’s 30-24 win over Brisbane in the World Club Challenge.
“As the coach of the World Club Champions, he deserves to go out on his terms, with our respect, appreciation, and best wishes. Willie Peters led us to the most successful season in the history of Hull Rugby League in 2025. For now, and for the rest of this year, he will continue to drive a culture that demands success.” – Hull KR owner Neil Hudgell pays tribute to Willie Peters after his exit from the club was confirmed.
“It is emotional. I think I’ve had moments throughout the year, just different times in the car on the way to games with the wife. We’ve had a lot of stories and there’s been a couple of tears and things like that. We’ve had an absolute ball and this place will always be special to us and we’ve created memories that last a long lifetime.” – Willie Peters’ final words as Hull KR head coach.
In numbers
Hull KR had an average crowd of 11,406 at Craven Park in 2026 – an increase from 11,182 in 2025
Tevita Pangai Jnr was banned for a total of 11 games, making just five appearances for the club in the process.
Willie Peters enjoyed a 70 percent win rate at Hull KR, winning 94 of 134 games.
Highlights
The World Club Challenge victory over Brisbane etched this Hull KR side into folklore, whilst a 32-12 win over Warrington saw Rovers make it to another Challenge Cup Final.
Putting things into perspective, Rovers enjoyed a great first half of the season with another Wembley date locked in and an initially firm seat inside the top six.
The East Yorkshire club also secured the go-ahead for a Hull KR ‘Sports Village’ in a bid to regenerate the stadium and surrounding area even further. Off the field, the club never looked stronger.
Lowlights
The 58-6 thrashing by Leeds in Las Vegas was a shocker, with the 40-10 capitulation to Wigan in the Challenge Cup Final impacting heavily on the second half of the season.
A 32-12 home loss to Toulouse Olympique really did set the cat amongst the pigeons as Rovers continued to slip towards mid-table. Just one win from their final six games ensured that Willie Peters would not leave the club after having retained the Super League trophy.
There had also been issues with discipline, with Mikey Lewis and Tevita Pangai Jnr incurring hefty bans, whilst Joe Burgess was dropped for poor form mid-season before his move to Catalans Dragons was confirmed at the end of the season.
Looking ahead
It’s a new dawn for Hull KR under new head coach Nathan Cayless.
After assistant coaching roles at Sydney Roosters and Wests Tigers, Cayless returned to the Eels to head up their New South Wales Cup side.
It’s a familiar sounding path to the one that Willie Peters took on his way to Craven Park – and look how that worked out.
Cayless has spoken about his desire to bring through young players, which will be important, given the ageing profile of the Hull KR squad.
The new coach is expected to arrive early next month, but he has already gone about moulding his roster, with Moala Graham-Taufa (South Sydney Rabbitohs), Eddie Hampson (Townsville Blackhawks), and Salesi Ataata (South Sydney Rabbitohs) set to join the club.
