The Robins have made three signings so far ahead of next season
Hull KR have made Eddie Hampson their second signing ahead of the 2027 Super League season(Image: Hull KR)
Hull KR have made three signings for next season as they prepare to welcome in the start of a new era under Nathan Cayless.
The Robins have said farewell to Willie Peters and a couple of senior names in Rhyse Martin and Joe Burgess and they’ll be keen to see the new faces arriving at the club over the winter take them to the next level.
All three signings so far have come from the reserve grade ranks down under with Cayless using his extensive knowledge of the New South Wales Cup and the Queensland Cup to add to the KR squad.
With that in mind, here’s all you need to know about the three KR have signed so far.
Salesi Ataata
Signed from South Sydney Rabbitohs’ second string, Ataata is a powerful prop known for his ability to bend the line with the ferocity of his carries while also getting offloads away.
At the age of 23, the New Zealander can be considered to have his peak years in the game ahead of him and after failing to work his way in to the first team fold at Souths, the forward will be pushing to make a name for himself in Super League, just as his new teammate Tom Amone did.
Ataata started his career with Cronulla Sharks and he made one appearance for the club in a pre-season friendly back in 2024. He also made six appearances for Newtown Jets in the NSW Cup that season before heading to Souths, where he made 43 reserve grade outings and scored four tries in two years. He featured three times for Souths’ first-team in pre-season games.
Given his explosive style, KR fans can expect to see Ataata coming off the bench in games, providing a powerful presence against tiring legs.
Eddie Hampson
The 23-year-old has joined on a two-year deal from Townsville Blackhawks and Rovers are excited to welcome the back-rower to Craven Park. Hampson is another who is still well short of his peak years as a player, but he’s been performing at a high level down under for some time.
Scoring 17 tries in his last two seasons for the Blackhawks in the Queensland Cup, it’s not hard to see that Hampson’s strengths revolve around his ball carrying ability and strike in the back-row isn’t something KR had in abundance last season.
As such, eyes will be on how Hampson, who has never played first grade rugby league, settles in at the club because if he can hit the ground running and produce the type of form he showcased last season under former Robin Terry Campese in Townsville, he could prove to be a real asset for KR.
He has 74 reserve grade games under his belt and all bar five have come with Townsville with Hampson having a brief spell in New South Wales with Newcastle Knights’ reserves.
Moala Graham-Taufa
The only one of the three to have experienced playing in the NRL, Graham-Taufa has seven first-grade appearances under his belt. His first came with Sydney Roosters back in 2021, where the 24-year-old started his career, before he made the move to his hometown club New Zealand Warriors, via a short stint with Parramatta Eels, and he went on to make four appearances under Andrew Webster and score what is to date his only NRL try.
He made another two NRL outings this year for South Sydney, with his appearance coming off the bench against Knights back in May.
However, it’s fair to say Graham-Taufa has done his best work in the New South Wales Cup, where he has been a regular over the last six years. Since featuring for Norths Sydney Bears in 2021, he has made 86 appearances in the competition, with 54 tries being scored.
He is also able to call himself a New South Wales Cup winner and a State Championships winner, having done both with the Warriors back in 2025.
Graham-Taufa has spent most of his career at centre, but he has been selected 26 times on the wing, too, and that includes a run out in the NRL against Wests Tigers earlier this year, adding versatility and giving Cayless options, depending on how he sees his outside back ranks.