Robins chief reckons one of his new signings could potentially make a major switch of position next season.
Willie Peters has revealed new signing Declan Murphy could be trialled as a hooker for Hull KR next season. The Robins recently announced the exciting Salford Red Devils full-back, who has played just three senior games of rugby league, has joined them on a three-year deal.
Cross-code convert Murphy, 20, has shone after grabbing his chance with Salford having been released by Saracens in May. Obviously, Rovers only signed a new full-back in March when they bought Arthur Mourgue from Catalans Dragons.
The Frenchman has proved an astute signing but he will face competition from Murphy in 2026 while Jack Broadbent is another who can play at No1. However, boss Peters admits he doesn’t yet know what the new arrival’s best position will be – and he could operate in multiple spots including the pack.
He said: “I won’t give players guarantees. I’ll give them a vision of where I see where they can get to and where they fit in within the team. I gave Declan the same sort of vision around what I gave Jack Broadbent. And that was at this stage I don’t know exactly where we see you – but we’re certainly going to play you in a few different positions.
“Jack played centre in a Grand Final and won a Challenge Cup at full-back. And this kid potentially could be the same in the sense of what’s his best position? It might take a bit of time.
“He may come in and we go, ‘No, he’s an out-and-out full-back.’ Or he might be in the halves. But, you know, we’re going to look at him as nine as well because he’s got pace, he can kick out of dummy half, has a great pass on him and he’s willing.
“So will he put his body in front? That’s what we need to be able to see once in our programme. Getting back onside as well, hooker’s demanding, so we’re not 100% sure whether he can play at nine yet.
“But potentially he could. So I’ve just said three different positions that we’ll certainly look at him. So he is exciting, there’s no doubt about that.”
With veteran hooker Michael McIlorum retiring at the end of the season, there is a dummy-half role up for grabs alongside England’s Jez Litten although ex-London Broncos rake Bill Leyland, of course, is expected to step up after signing his own new deal.
Peters admits being won over when he saw Murphy’s brief highlights package – even though he knows it’s not a good barometer for recruitment.
He said: “I don’t usually get excited by short highlight packages because I might be able to put a highlight package together from back in the day and some of my footy goes alright, but that was far from the truth!
“So highlights packages can be deceiving; you can look at highlights packages and go ‘wow, what a player.’
“But then you don’t see what they do off the ball, you end up finding out that they don’t work hard, their effort area’s not great and they’re not competing on every play.
“So you’ve got to watch a full game and I’ve watched all his games as well as the highlights package – I got excited by that.
“But it’s what he does off the ball, it’s how hard he competes..
“The kid’s a talent. There’s no doubt about that. And that’s what we want to bring in: we’re bringing players that are going to put pressure on other players and he will certainly do that.
“I think at the moment he’s a full-back, but we’ll certainly look at him in a few different positions.”