The Robins are struggling to hit the heights they did last year
Hull KR were well beaten by Leeds Rhinos(Image: SW Pix)
Expectations have remained high at Craven Park this year but as the season progresses it’s becoming harder and harder for Hull KR to meet them.
Willie Peters’ side have been some way short of their best for around six weeks now and they were firmly put in their place on Friday night as they lost 34-8 at Headingley against Leeds Rhinos, the side who have replaced KR as the competition’s dominant team.
Rovers’ performance in West Yorkshire was riddled with errors, key men failed to step up to the plate and worryingly, they were dominated physically in almost every area of the field.
Injuries can be blamed for some of that, with Dean Hadley, who is such a pace setter for KR, leaving the field before the five-minute mark due to a head knock. The Robins were without Sauaso Sue, Jez Litten, Sam Luckley and Joe Burgess too, though, with the quartet missing out through minor injuries.
The importance of the above names should not be underestimated, especially against such a powerful and talented Brad Arthur team, who sit two points clear at the top of the table at this point.
However, the travelling Rovers fans will have expected more from those who did take to the field, particularly the senior men who were lacklustre and jaded at times.
It could even be said that the type of mistakes made by KR on Friday night came as a result of mental and physical fatigue.
Some of that fatigue was self inflicted with Rovers having to defend for large periods as a result of the errors and ill-discipline, but a lot of it can be put down to burnout.
Peters has been lauded for his full speed ahead mentality during his time at Craven Park. The Robins have gone through the last few seasons with their foot pressed down hard on the accelerator and they’ve won everything there is to win because of that.
The head coach has tried to spell his stars when he’s had the opportunity to this year but in reality rests have been few and far between over the last two or three seasons, and with KR reaching the final of the Challenge Cup in 2025 and 2026, the breathers that other teams have been afforded just haven’t been there.
Ultimately, players can only be pushed so far, and it seems as though we are now starting a see a team that is starting to reach its limits.
It’s natural and it might said that the Robins can be considered to be victims of their own success in that regard.
Burnout might not necessarily be something the squad are conscious of, but it was evident on Friday with Rovers just not hitting the standards we have come to expect in contact and other effort areas with the odd shortcut being taken, while discipline has taken a notable turn for the worse, too.
KR didn’t need a hammering by Leeds to tell them they aren’t firing on all cylinders. They’ve been poor for a number of weeks now, with the Cup semi-final win over Warrington Wolves at the start of May arguably being the last time KR looked like last year’s team. The Challenge Cup final was an eye opener and performances since have been underwhelming, even if they have beaten York Knights and Leigh Leopards, and compared to last season’s showings they’ve been unrecognisable.
Indeed, Rovers went above and beyond to get the job done last year, with their work rate and intensity proving too much for most Super League teams to handle.
Over the last month or so though, they’ve been physically incapable of reaching those standards with energy reserves in the red.
The absentees they had on Friday might turn out to be a blessing in disguise in the short term, with Litten and Sue expected to be fit to return this week after their lay-offs, while Burgess could be set to come back into the fold, too.
They might provide an injection of energy at Magic Weekend against Hull FC and that may well be enough to claim the bragging rights against a Hull side who will be fired up after pushing Wigan close on Saturday.
But, if Peters is to go out on a high at the end of the season, the head coach must do all he can to freshen things up and ensure there is something left in the tank come the autumn.