The lowdown on new Hull KR head coach Nathan Cayless.
Nathan Cayless will coach Hull KR from the 2027 season.
Hull KR have secured their new head coach for the 2027 season, with Nathan Cayless set to lead the Robins as Willie Peters’ successor.
After four years in charge at Craven Park, Peters will leave the East Hull club at the end of the season to join new NRL franchise Papua New Guinea Chiefs ahead of their 2028 induction, with Hull KR searching far and wide for his replacement over the last few months.
That search has led them to Cayless – with the Australian set to make his mark at the Robins later this year ahead of pre-season training. Here is everything you need to know about him.
Who is Nathan Cayless?
Nathan Cayless is a 48-year-old Australian coach. He was born in Sydney, New South Wales, on March March, 1978. Cayless has Maori heritage, and was eligible to play for the New Zealand Kiwis due to the grandparent rule. He is the older brother of former rugby league player, Jason Cayless.
Who did Nathan Cayless play for?
A prop or back row forward, Nathan Cayless spent his entire playing career at hometown club Parramatta Eels. After playing his junior and school rugby league in the local Parramatta area, he debuted for the western-Sydney outfit back in 1997 and played through to 2010, featuring in the 2009 Grand Final against Melbourne Storm – a title the Storm were stripped of the following year after salary cap breaches.
In total, Cayless played 259 times for the Eels, scoring 28 tries and one field goal. He also holds the record for the most games played as captain of any NRL club, captaining 217 of his 259 games.
On the international scene, Cayless played for New Zealand and earned 39 caps, scoring three tries. He captained the Kiwis to a stunning World Cup victory over Australia back in 2008.
Who has Nathan Cayless coached?
After playing, Cayless became the head coach of New South Wales Cup side Wentworthville Magpies in 2016. He spent two seasons at the Sydney club.
Cayless then moved on to coach the New Zealand Warriors reserve grade side in 2018. He has also been an Elite Player Program Manager at Parramatta Eels and at was the Canterbury Cup head coach and development coach at New Zealand Warriors for one year.
In 2019, Cayless became an assistant coach at NRL club Sydney Roosters. He spent the 2020 and 2021 seasons with the Eastern Sydney outfit before moving to Wests Tigers in 2021.
Cayless returned to Parramatta as their New South Wales Cup coach in 2022. Like Peters, Hull KR will be his first stint as a head coach at first-grade level.
What links does Nathan Cayless have to Hull KR?
Cayless has several links with the current Hull KR squad. He coached Kiwi centre Peta Hiku at NZ Warriors. He also coached Kyle Lawton when at Warriors, and Tom Amone during his junior days. He has also spent time working with Hull KR legend Justin Morgan.