HULL KR are confident Man of Steel Mikey Lewis will be fit for the start of the season after groin surgery – but prop Sam Luckley could be absent due to a wrist issue.
Star England halfback Lewis has had an operation to deal with a nagging problem that cropped up during his stellar 2024 campaign.
Lewis helped Willie Peters’ side reach the Super League Grand Final against 9-2 winners Wigan, missing just two of 32 games in all competitions – the 40-0 home win over Salford in round six of the Challenge Cup in March and 36-6 defeat by Catalans in France in April.
The Hull-born 23-year-old was then involved in both of England’s wins over tourists Samoa, scoring a try in the first (34-18) victory at Wigan.
Lewis crossed 19 times for Rovers and landed 76 goals, with his increased activity from the tee following the departures of Lachlan Coote, Will Dagger, Rowan Milnes and Brad Schneider possibly contributing to his groin trouble.
The surgery was planned to follow his England involvement and a subsequent holiday, with recovery estimated at three weeks.
The international call-up had led to Lewis, who made his first-team debut under Tony Smith in 2019, being given extended time off in any case.
Rovers’ first competitive outing will be away to lower-level opposition in the seeded third round of the Challenge Cup on the weekend of February 8/9.
Lewis and Wakefield fullback Max Jowitt will conduct the draw for the first two rounds in Goole this evening (Monday, December 2).
His junior club West Hull will be among the 34 names in the hat for the opening-stage pairings.
Rovers’ only confirmed pre-season match is the Amsterdam clash with York at the NRCA Stadion on Saturday, January 25.
Lewis had a loan stint at York in 2021, scoring a try in their 41-34 1895 Cup final defeat by Featherstone at Wembley.
Rovers start their league campaign at home to Castleford on Friday, February 14 – and Scotland international and ex-Salford man Luckley, 28, could be struggling to make it after his operation.
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