SHAUN KENNY-DOWALL has been quick to make an impact on Hull KR players young and old in his new role.
The ex-New Zealand international centre moved onto the Robins’ coaching staff after retiring as a player, aged 35, at the end of the 2023 season.
He is now looking to impart the wisdom accrued from over 350 first-grade games in both hemispheres in a new position as Hull KR’s development coach.
The position sees Kenny-Dowall spend some time with the first team, under head coach Willie Peters and his team of assistants, Danny Ward (the former London Broncos coach fresh from leading Castleford to Super League survival) and Brett Delaney – who are focusing on defence – plus David Hodgson, who works on their attack.
But he is also working closely with their Academy team, which is now led by former Keighley coach and one-time Robins player Rhys Lovegrove.
So keen was Kenny-Dowall to get started, he was down to work within weeks of his playing career ending in the Super League play-offs.
Peters said: “We had seven weeks off and Skids (Kenny-Dowall) was entitled to that whole time, but he was back after four weeks helping the Academy.
“We’ve got Rhys Lovegrove there, who is going to be a great inclusion to our coaching staff, but Skids wanted to dive in.
“Now we (the first team) are back full-time and his role is with us, but he helps the Academy twice a week with vertical alignment of how we want to play through our club.
“I’m really impressed with him. He’s detailed in what he’s doing. He’s helping David Hodgson with some edge stuff with our attack as well.”
