One game left before Wembley, but don’t for one second think Hull KR see this as a distraction. Willie Peters’ 21-man squad shows Rovers are treating their clash with St Helens as just another game, rather than a chore.
Rovers went with a weakened side before the 2023 final but that’s not going to happen here, as shown by the nature of the extended squad. Still, there is scope to make some changes to the team.
Eribe Doro, Noah Booth, Ajahni Wallace and Bill Leyland are all in the squad this week having not featured last week, and they might be considered here. But at the same time, Rovers want to put their strongest team out to win to help them retain top spot before their trip to Wembley, so don’t expect too many changes.
One player we definitely cannot see playing is Dean Hadley. He hasn’t missed a game this season, is ominously close to picking up a suspension and that is surely just a risk too far the week before Wembley. His charge last week has moved him on to 4.5 disciplinary points, taking him very close to a ban. We just don’t see him playing here.
The question is who comes into the side, and any potential shake-ups. The safe bet would be that Jai Whitbread returns to the middle, Kelepi Tanginoa starts in the back-row and Eribe Doro is promoted to the bench, offering the option of another middle to share Hadley’s workload. Doro was 18th man last week.
The other player we feel may be due a rest here is Jez Litten. He too has played every game, played big minutes and is so crucial to what Rovers do, and reliance on him remains high with Micky McIlorum absent. With Bill Leyland back in the squad, a week off here appears quite possible, allowing Danny Richardson to remain on the bench which also provides cover in the halves if there are any fears over Mikey Lewis and Tyrone May during the game.
Beyond that, no further changes are being tipped by us, with Rovers putting a side out they back to do the business. Noah Booth for Jack Broadbent is a possibility, but not a probable one in our eyes.
Predicted Hull KR side: Arthur Mourgue, Tom Davies, Peta Hiku, Jack Broadbent, Joe Burgess, Mikey Lewis, Tyrone May, Sauaso Sue, Bill Leyland, Jai Whitbread, James Batchelor, Kelepi Tanginoa, Elliot Minchella. Subs: Sam Luckley, Danny Richardson, Jack Brown, Eribe Doro.
Missing out: Jez Litten, Dean Hadley, Ajahni Wallace, Noah Booth.