When Hull KR return to Wembley this weekend, they do so with a much different side than before. It’s less than two years since Rovers fell agonisingly short at Wembley and yet, despite plenty of success in that time, there has been a high amount of change to the squad.
Only six members of the 2023 team will play on Saturday. Mikey Lewis, Jez Litten, James Batchelor, Elliot Minchella, Dean Hadley and Sam Luckley are those who featured last time and it’s a safe bet that they will all take to the field this weekend.
Despite their relative success that year, it’s fair to say Rovers have come a long way since. While they are now established as a side that will reach major finals, their passage to Wembley was considered as a surprise. They caused an upset in the semi-finals as they beat Wigan Warriors, one of the club’s greatest wins in recent times.
Rovers were starting to come good at that point whereas now, there’s no doubting that they are good. Their position at the top of Super League and in a third major final for a third straight years prove that.
But there are plenty of players who have played their part in getting Rovers to where they are now and the contrast from 2025 to 2023 shows that.
But it also shows how far Rovers have come too. In no way is that intended as an insult to those who have come before the current crop but just one glance at the team-sheet is proof that the current Robins squad has improved drastically over time.
Lewis actually played at fullback in the last Challenge Cup Final. Brad Schneider and Rowan Milnes had formed a partnership in the halves building up to the game while Lewis had shown promise at fullback.
The wing spots were taken by Ethan Ryan and Ryan Hall, who are now at Salford Red Devils and Leeds Rhinos respectively. Ryan was replaced by Joe Burgess last year, who made the move the other way. He has since re-established himself as one of the top wingers in Super League. Hall was replaced by Tom Davies this year.
Tom Opacic had and Shaun Kenny-Dowall were the centres that day and certainly in the case of SKD, he will go down as one of Rovers’ great overseas players. Oliver Gildart, unavailable this weekend through injury, was brought in to replace the Kiwi and was in fantastic form before his injury at Magic Weekend. Opacic was a victim of Rovers’ meteoric rise, with Peta Hiku’s arrival seeing him drop down the pecking order.
Milnes is now at Castleford, Schneider at Penrith, and Rovers now have a better pairing. Lewis is the Man of Steel and Tyrone May is an outstanding facilitator for him.
The changes in the pack are significant too. Rhys Kennedy and George King were the starting props that day. Kennedy left at the end of the 2023 season as Rovers looked to create quota space for Jai Whitbread and Kelepi Tanginoa. Another victim of Rovers’ aggressive recruitment drive was Kane Linnett, who took an early retirement having played in the back-row at Wembley that year. King is now at Huddersfield.
Matt Parcell was on the bench that day, and his replacement will return this weekend in the shape of Micky McIlorum, who has been tasked with bringing extra steel to the side in these big games. Matty Storton was the final past player, with the forward now plying his trade at Wakefield Trinity.
All of those players had significant roles in the rise of Rovers. But the class of 2025 is on another level. They can prove that by lifting the trophy on Saturday.
Hull KR’s 2023 side: Mikey Lewis, Ethan Ryan, Tom Opacic, Shaun Kenny-Dowall, Ryan Hall, Rowan Milnes, Brad Schneider, Rhys Kennedy, Jez Litten, George King, James Batchelor, Kane Linett, Elliot Minchella. Subs: Matt Parcell, Matty Storton, Dean Hadley, Sam Luckley.