The Robins beat Huddersfield Giants 36-6 on Friday night
Hull KR’s Elliot Minchella celebrates scoring a try against Huddersfield(Image: SW Pix)
Hull KR can head into the Super League play-offs knowing their senior men are feeling refreshed and reinvigorated after a week off.
Willie Peters rang the changes last week for the clash with Wigan Warriors, with a number of key men sitting the game out after a hectic month. Some of those names were injured, with the likes of Dean Hadley and Tyrone May carrying issues, while others were rested.
But, having returned to the side on Friday night, all of them seemed energised as the Robins saw off Huddersfield Giants at Craven Park with relative ease, winning 36-6.
The win means KR have booked their spot in the Super League top six and after next Friday’s clash at St Helens, they can now look forward to a trip to either Warrington Wolves, Wakefield Trinity or Leigh Leopards in the eliminator stage of the play-offs.
And, Peters is confident that the likes of Jez Litten, Elliot Minchella and Dean Hadley will be heading into the knockout stages feeling fresher than most.
“Guys like Jez he needed that rest,” Peters said. “He could have played last week but he’s played nearly every minute of every week in the middle.
“Dean Hadley had a groin issue so he definitely wasn’t going to play last week. He couldn’t play last week but got himself right and I thought he looked refreshed as well, again, he played every minute through the middle.
“You want your senior players standing up at this time of the year. We want our senior players to drive the energy and the younger guys did that well last week along with the senior guys that played.
“I thought Elliot started the game really well, carried strong, set the tone with his carry and I thought that transferred, obviously he got a try off the back of it. When Elliot’s playing with a passion at a high level and in the right way, more often than not we’re on the right end of the scoreboard and he has a big influence on the team.”
Asked if any unseen injuries had cropped up against the Giants, Peters added: “There’s a couple there, Gilly has got a rib issue, but I think everyone else was OK. I need to speak to our head of performance.”