The Robins were way off the pace and must now beat Warrington next week.
Where on earth did that come from?
Hull KR’s hopes of securing the League Leaders’ Shield were emphatically shut down by Wakefield Trinity, who, for the want of a politer phrase, slapped them up and down West Yorkshire as they raced home 28-12 winners.
The Robins were dismantled at ease in a derisory first-half performance, which, it has to be said, will set alarm bells ringing. This is the time of year when teams want to peak. Rovers have dished up their two worst performances of the season in the last three weeks.
They will still have a chance to clinch the League Leaders’ Shield next week when they host Warrington. Their consistency over the year has given them that luxury. But if they produce anything remotely close to this in the play-offs, their season will not have the ending everyone has dreamt about. Instead, it will be one horrible nightmare.
The primary concern is that, just like the defeat to Leeds, they lacked any purpose or intent, particularly in the opening 40. They didn’t seem to have the desire to secure top spot. They very much looked like they were going through the motions.
Wakefield, meanwhile, looked like a team that had something to play for. Their top six aspirations hang on a knife’s edge and they played like that was the case. They simply looked like they wanted this more than Rovers. Daryl Powell’s side, it has to be said, were spellbinding with ball in hand.
The tone was set inside four minutes as Wakefield opened the scoring. Arthur Mourgue and Jack Broadbent, selected at wing in the continued absence of Joe Burgess, both went for the same high kick. They collided, the ball landed in Jake Trueman’s arms and he raced home untouched. That was a sign of things to come.
Max Jowitt converted and quickly added a penalty goal for an 8-0 lead when Rovers were penalised for holding down.
Wakefield were threatening every time they touched the ball and they added another on 19 minutes. Mason Lino showed a quick change of direction that left Jared Waerea-Hargreaves flat-footed, and the halfback skipped past the prop far too easy to score a simple try. With the way Rovers started, 14-0 already looked like a tall order to overcome.
When Jowitt scored ten minutes later, the game was done. They had threatened to score several times previously, but when Mikey Lewis went for an intercept that didn’t come off, Jowitt picked up the ball and cruised home as Rovers defenders switched off. The conversion made it 20-0.
There was still time for another as Cam Scott added to the rout. Jowitt scythed through painfully easily as Rovers were left short defensively and Scott was in support to finish off.
26-0 at the break, Wakefield left to a standing ovation. Rovers looked shellshocked. Peters looked furious.
The coach spent the second half watching from the sidelines, which prompted some initial reaction as Rovers got on the board. Mourgue scored as he skipped inside a defender to race home after Jowitt slipped.
For a period, Rovers improved. They threatened with the ball and put some pressure on Wakefield. The hosts remained resolute though.
Once errors crept in, Wakefield took advantage. They added a penalty goal just after the hour, with Jowitt calming things down after a Rovers knock on and penalty.
Rovers would get a late consolation as Oliver Gildart marked his return to the side with a try, touching down from Lewis’ kick. But it was far too little, far too late.
Wakefield: Max Jowitt, Jayden Myers, Cam Scott, Oli Pratt, Tom Johnstone, Jake Trueman, Mason Lino, Mike McMeeken, Liam Hood, Caius Faatili, Seth Nikotemo, Matty Storton, Jay Pitts. Subs: Ky Rodwell, Josh Griffin, Renouf Atoni, Harvey Smith.
Tries: Trueman (4), Lino (19), Jowitt (29), Scott (38)
Goals: Jowitt 5/5
Hull KR: Arthur Mourgue, Tom Davies, Peta Hiku, Oliver Gildart, Jack Broadbent, Mikey Lewis, Tyrone May, Jai Whitbread, Jez Litten, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, Dean Hadley, James Batchelor, Elliot Minchella. Subs: Sam Luckley, Kelepi Tanginoa, Eribe Doro, Bill Leyland.
Tries: Mourgue (44), Gildart (70)
Goals: Mourgue 2/2