Hull Kingston Rovers forward James Donaldson is set to stay with Hull KR for 2017.
Donaldson told League Express last month that he was hopeful that focussing on his own form would play him into a contract somewhere for next season, and it is now understood he has committed his immediate future to the Robins.
League Express understands that, despite interest from other Super League clubs about the availability of the 24-year-old, Donaldson has now agreed terms on a new contract with his current club.
The Donaldson boost comes as the Robins’ coach, James Webster, has insisted they will not give up hope on a top-eight finish in 2016, despite a disappointing 18-20 home defeat to Wigan on Friday night.
Webster conceded that the battle to get out of the bottom four is now out of their hands, but they will not concede defeat in trying to overturn the five-point gap between themselves and the eight.
“We’ll fight to the death. We’ll go to Saints with whoever we can put out on Friday and we’ll give it as good a go as we did here,” he said.
“The other teams might win three or four games and take it out of our hands. If they don’t win those games, we have to be good enough to capitalise.”
“We’re a gutsy side but we made too many errors and the conditions played a part. I thought we were unbelievably determined, gutsy and tough to keep repelling our try-line for 80 minutes. We lost by two points, of course, it’s tough to take. We’re not happy about it. To lose in those circumstances is gut-wrenching.”
Hull KR will also assess captain Terry Campese this week ahead of Friday’s trip to Langtree Park to face St Helens after he suffered a hamstring injury on Friday night.
