HULL KR will take on Brisbane Broncos in the ‘Clash of the Champions’ at the MKM Stadium on Thursday 19 February (kick-off 7:30pm) in front of a sold-out attendance of 24,600.
And chief executive Paul Lakin admits he is relishing the prospect of his club making history, ideally with victory.
“In terms of domestic club sport I would absolutely describe this game as the biggest ever to have been played in the city of Hull. It’s the best versus the best,” says Lakin.
“In this Rugby League mad city we’ve never before had the opportunity to deliver the World Club Challenge. So we’re very proud and excited to be able to do that. There will be a lot of big-name players on the pitch and I’m sure that Rugby League fans in general will want to be at the game.”
After England’s 3-0 defeat in the recent Ashes series, Lakin also believes that the game will see some of the Robins’ players who didn’t make Shaun Wane’s squad putting down a marker for World Cup selection, while they will also be looking forward to playing in Las Vegas nine days later.
“We felt that we could have had another couple of players in the England squad, after the year we had, but that will make them even more determined to show what they can do in such an important game against great opponents,” he added.
“It will be a hectic start to the season and we will be representing Super League in Las Vegas too.
“I think we and Leeds will take around 8,000 fans to Vegas. The numbers at this stage are slightly ahead of Wigan’s and Warrington’s numbers from last year.
“We are not doing it to make a profit necessarily. It’s highly unlikely we will, although we hope to break even.
“But it’s an opportunity to raise our profile and to give our players the chance to play in a great stadium.
“Wigan and Warrington told us how much they enjoyed it this year. It’s a fantastic opportunity for us. We decided early that we would like to go next year, not knowing at that point that we would win the treble.
“We are accepting that it will put pressure on us early in the domestic season but we are really excited about it.”
One potential problem that Lakin will have to deal with further down the track is the eventual departure of the club’s coach Willie Peters, who is contracted until 2028 but will eventually return to Australia to coach in the NRL.
“A problem like that comes with the job,” says Lakin.
“I have a really good relationship with Willie. We both know where we are at and we are very open and transparent. Our board is really clear on the future but he is really happy here with his family.”
As the club chief executive, Lakin admits that it took him some time to take in the magnitude of its Grand Final victory.
“I was seeing the emotion on everyone’s faces around me, but I had to immediately start planning our parade in the city the following day and I only felt the reality of what we had achieved a couple of weeks later when I went on holiday. The memories for life we created; we have been on a journey and we have improved every year. It’s a real sense of pride and achievement and a sense of togetherness. To be successful you need connectivity among all your staff and the players need to be connected to the fans.
“Our players completely recognise the working-class background that most of our fans come from and our fans completely recognise the effort that the players make every week.”
And Rovers are feeling the benefit of that connection, both in relation to ticket sales for the World Club Challenge and for the next Super League season.
“We are completely sold out for next season for every game, with 1,500 people in a paid-for waiting list. We are in a fantastic position and I am fully focused on driving this forward.”
And Lakin admits that the focus will now turn towards expanding the club’s Sewell Group Craven Park stadium, which currently holds about half the capacity of the MKM Stadium.
“That is the key conversation I’m having with the board,” he admits.
“I believe there is a real requirement but the cost of bricks and mortar is off the scale. To build around our stadium is very expensive, but everything is on the table.”