Mikey Lewis is ready to make up for lost time when he returns to Super League action following a disciplinary nightmare.
The maverick half-back has now served his two-match suspension for dangerous contact on Warrington’s Ewan Irwin, having only marked his return from a four-game ban for headbutting in the rearranged Round 2 fixture last month.
His return is a huge boost to Hull KR ’s play-off campaign, with the Robins securing a top-six finish with a penultimate-round victory over Huddersfield Giants at Sewell Group Craven Park.
Lewis, 25, is set to lead a youthful Rovers outfit as captain at the BrewDog Stadium on Friday night, determined to right some wrongs after missing a total of seven matches – six suspended – over the summer.
“It’s been a tough couple of months for myself, but it was something I probably needed – working on myself, working on the mental game, and I feel like it’s behind me now,” Lewis said.
“I’m looking forward to Friday night and doing this badge proud again.
“I want to do more action stuff – control what I can control. The more times I can do that and keep calm, the better I am as a player.
“There’s a fine line, and I’ve got to make sure I stay under that fine line to make sure I’m not punishing my team-mates. I’m going out to prove that tomorrow night.”
Despite being available for the Round 24 clash with Toulouse Olympique, head coach Willie Peters dropped both Lewis and Tevita Pangai Junior after the pair fell below the club’s standards following their respective suspensions.
“It was tough, but it’s the coach’s decision at the end of the day and I stand by it,” Lewis reflected.
“It’s a statement that it’s not acceptable at this club, and it’s not. I understood that, and we move forward from that. The boys had to dig really deep for the last two or three weeks now.
“We’re in the play-offs, and we’ve got to think about looking forward instead of behind us. That’s the mindset I’m thinking – looking forward and seeing where it takes us.”
Lewis was forced to watch on as Hull KR suffered a shock 32-12 home defeat to Toulouse, before a youthful outfit were thrashed 46-0 by Wigan Warriors with Peters forced into wholesale changes because of injuries and the club’s hectic schedule.
The Robins returned to winning ways against Huddersfield in what marked Peters’ final home game before his departure for PNG Chiefs.
“It’s not very good, I hated it (watching from the sidelines),” Lewis added.
“But it’s only from my own actions. I’ve just been trying to help the boys prepare the best we can, and hoping they perform on the weekends, which they have been doing. It’s been hard, but it has been enjoyable as well.”
Lewis will captain a Rovers side that has made 14 changes to face St Helens, with one eye already on next week’s play-off eliminator.
The Saints, meanwhile, will finish outside of Super League’s play-offs for the first time in their history following a turbulent campaign.
“I said to the lads this morning, when you step on that field and represent this badge, it comes with a massive responsibility and an opportunity to go down in history,” Lewis said.
“It’s a fantastic group and they’ve worked really hard this week to make sure we’re fully prepared to go out and do the club proud, and that’s what we want to do.”