Minchella has taken his KR team by the scruff of the neck in recent weeks
Hull KR’s Elliot Minchella leads his side out to the field of play against Castleford.
Willie Peters has taken the opportunity to laud Elliot Minchella’s turnaround in recent weeks as Hull KR look to build a head of steam once more.
The skipper was one of the key men who came in for criticism during the Robins’ rough spell last month with his performances on both sides of the ball underwhelming.
However, he has more than turned things around in the last few weeks with his performances going a long way towards inspiring Rovers to three straight wins. Minchella’s run of form started after the opening 10 minutes or so at Hull FC with the forward taking his side by the scruff of the neck and setting the tone on both sides of the ball.
That continued into the home clash with Bradford Bulls and Friday’s win over Castleford Tigers with Minchella making 119 metres despite seeing his time on the field being managed extensively by Peters.
Peters has piled the praise on Minchella after his 300th career game and he puts his recent form down to the strength of his character.
“Elliot was probably not playing at his best this year,” Peters said. “As a club, we got some people, and rightly so, questioning us, but that’s when you need your leaders to stand up.
“When your leaders stand up, the rest follow, and he’s led the way the last three weeks.
I’m not getting carried away, making statements of where we’re going and what we’re doing, but there was a time there that it could have gone the other way and there was probably some reasons why it could have. He’s led from the front in that way of making sure that we’re back on track.
“It’s no coincidence that his best games have been the last three games, and his best training sessions have been the last three weeks. I think I like that part more so than what he’s done last year because that is, for me, the true character or side of someone’s character when things get a little bit tough.”
Paying tribute to the loose-forward after his milestone evening, Peters added: “I never forget when we had our first conversation around him being captain.
“I had in my mind that he would be probably best suited to be captain, but we met at a café and he spoke to me around why he believes he should be our captain and I just loved his approach. That was the first step to him being a captain and leader, and then what he’s done since then, he’s going to be known as the captain of team that won the treble.
“I think it’s before that, I think it’s the playing at Bradford and playing in League One, then the Championship for quite a period of time. He’s grafted hard to get to where he’s got to and nothing’s ever come easy and I thought tonight [vs Castleford] was a really positive performance. His last three games have been back to where I know he can play.”