Jamie Peacock offered to resign as Hull Kingston Rovers’ head of rugby, but it was rejected by the club’s chairman Neil Hudgell.
The 38-year-old came out of retirement to help Rovers secure Super League safety, however the Robins were relegated after a dramatic 19-18 defeat to Salford in the Million Pound Game.
Peacock took up his role at Rovers after winning the treble with Leeds last season, but, after relegation, will now be in charge of putting the club’s squad together ahead of their return to the second-tier.
“Saturday was a devastating day for me and the club,” Peacock said in a statement.
“To be in a dressing room with grown men, wives and children crying is not what sport is about.
“To be part of a club with such loyal, passionate support is very humbling and the reaction after such a defeat will stay with me for life.
“The messages from within the club and across the game made me feel very lucky to be part of the RL community.
“I gave everything I could to the club this year and came up short. I always want to be accountable for my actions in life and offered my resignation to Neil after the game. This was turned down which means I can continue my journey with this great club.” Peacock says he will now start a “root-and-branch” overhaul in a bid to not only help the club back into Super League but turn them into a force.
“While relegation hurts, it allows the club to stop just trying to change the branches and begin a full root and branch overhaul of the rugby department, building rock solid foundations that will enable this club to rise again and become a force within the game.”
