Willie Peters has defended Hull KR’s approach to squad rotation and youth development, insisting critics need to “come back with facts” before questioning the club’s decisions.
Peters has been forced to name a youthful side for Thursday’s Super League clash with Wigan Warriors amid a mounting injury list, including James Batchelor ruled out for three weeks, Ryan Hampshire for four and Dean Hadley for one.
It has prompted questions over Hull KR’s squad rotation throughout the season, with the club having not had a week off in two years and only fielding 27 players this year to date – a competition-low.
More recently, Rovers have endured a hectic schedule of four games in 14 days, resulting in two wins and two defeats.
Peters has made no secret of the importance he places on Hull KR’s pathways since arriving in East Hull. He insists more work is being done to develop the club’s own players for the future – work that will continue beyond his time at Sewell Group Craven Park, with the Australian leaving at the end of the year to take charge of PNG Chiefs ahead of their inaugural 2028 NRL campaign.
“I’ve come from a club previously that develops players, and one thing I’ve learned is you’ve got to make sure you develop them in the right way,” Peters said.
“I’ve heard some comments this morning (Wednesday) from some individuals in particular, and I certainly don’t value comments from people that don’t go to watch the academy, they’re not watching our training, they’re not seeing these players day-to-day and coming back with facts.
“The coaching staff and our pathways coaches communicate to us regularly. Coaches pick teams and there’s a process in place.
“The area we needed to work on, and I said this in the first couple of months I was here, was our youth system. Over the course of the years, how many players from our youth have come through? There’s not a great deal of late.
“It’s been an ongoing issue we need to get right as a club, and the club are aware of it and they’re putting more resources into it.
“Every coach and person that’s been involved with our youth system has done a great job, and is doing a great job, but that’s the reality – that’s the area that needs strengthening.
“There are youth systems at clubs like Wigan, who we’re playing tomorrow (Thursday), and they’re bringing through regularly. Kai Pearce-Paul goes (to the NRL) and you bring a Junior Nsemba through… stuff like that, for example.”
Peters admits it is a case of being ‘damned if you do, damned if you don’t’ when it comes to giving the club’s young players opportunities.
He continued: “When I first joined the club, unfortunately, we had players that were never going to be first-team players at KR but they were on five-year contracts.
“There were things in place before my time here, and on the back of that, we had board meetings to talk in-depth about areas we needed to work on. Our youth system needs ongoing development.
“You’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t in this job, I’m fully aware of that. If we played youth early and don’t win games, it comes back on you as a coach.
“Now we’re playing youth because we need to, there’s still going to be negative comments.
“Everyone’s got an opinion, and that’s fine. But the people’s opinion that matters most to me is when there’s substance behind it.
“There was a comment from one particular person this morning that I don’t value at all, because there’s no substance to what they’re saying at all.
“The majority of people that have the facts, I certainly listen to them, and that’s what I’ll continue to do.”
Peters has also admitted some of his young players have struggled to secure Championship loan moves due to quality, but the Hull KR head coach wants his players to be ready for Super League before throwing them into the top flight.
A number of youngsters are set to make their debuts at the Brick Community Stadium in Round 24, including Cobie Wainhouse, Declan Murphy, Frankie Dearlove, Alife Woods, Ryan Westerman and Flynn Holden.
He said: “In every team, it’s probably happened where you’re forced to rotate.
“This is probably a little bit forced in the sense of playing so many together, but they’ll do their best and that’s all we can ask of them.
“They’re all legit injuries. We’re resting three players that potentially could play, but we’re protecting them from soft-tissue injuries.
“What people have got to understand is we’ve got affiliations with clubs that have access to our players, but don’t take our players because they don’t feel they’re ready for the Championship.
“How are they ready then for Super League?
“I understand the fans want to see youth, but then if you don’t win games, that’s the most important thing.
“There are players we’ve got in our squad that aren’t making Championship teams. Some of them are now because their squads are injury-hampered and those clubs are having to go deeper into their own squads, that’s the only way these lads (at Hull KR) are getting opportunity.
“But then we’re saying they’re ready for first-grade.
“I can understand and accept if people have that opinion, but they are the facts. It’s important players spend time in the Championship before they become Super League players.”