Willie Peters remained a proud head coach despite seeing Hull KR’s Super League title defence ended – while giving his verdict on Peta Hiku’s second-half red card.
A 12-man Rovers side were beaten 35-12 by Warrington Wolves at the Halliwell Jones Stadium, with Hiku sent off just moments into the second half with the score at 12-6.
Warrington immediately pounced on their numerical advantage through Matty Ashton, who went on to complete a hat-trick and send the Wolves through to the semi-finals.
The Robins hit back through Dean Hadley to make it 16-12 with 54 minutes on the clock, but Warrington ran away with the result in the closing stages.
It was a scoreline that did not reflect Hull KR ’s efforts, according to head coach Peters.
“You don’t want to lose and you want to play in Grand Finals, but the players fought to the end,” he said after his final match in charge of Hull KR.
“What’s cost us a lot this year has been around our discipline, and it showed tonight in areas again.
“Warrington played really well, and they have all year. I’m still very, very proud of this group.
“The disappointing part is what the score ended up being. I don’t think it reflected the effort we put in, especially down to 12 men.
“That’s the disappointing part – the scoreboard. You never want to lose, but if you put in your best and can walk away saying we fought to the end, but there were tries that we gave them. That was the disappointing area for me.”
Hiku became the second player sent off during the play-off eliminators, after Wakefield’s Emre Guler was shown red for a clenched fist in contact with Leigh’s Owen Trout at the DIY Kitchens Stadium.
The Hull KR veteran centre was shown the same punishment for his contact with Warrington captain George Williams.
“They said that he clenched his fist. It wasn’t much, but the rules are the rules,” Peters said.
“What I saw was a bit of tap but what do you do. If he’s clenched his fist and done the wrong thing, it’s a card.”
Meanwhile, Tom Davies was sent to hospital after being forced from the action inside the opening minutes.
The winger, who swept up at the club’s end-of-season awards, suffered a double head collision against Warrington and has fractured his eye socket.
Hull KR captain Elliot Minchella also fought through the pain barrier to return after limping off before the break.
“He’s gone to hospital,” Peters said of Davies. “He’s got a fractured eye socket, but I’m not sure to the extent. He’s a tough man, and hopefully he’s not too bad.”
On Minchella, Peters added: “He’s okay, he ended up going back on, but he injured his ankle as well. He wanted to go back on, and I didn’t want to say no.”