If we’re favourites, we’ll embrace it – Hull KR boss

Betfred Men’s Challenge Cup final: Hull KR v Warrington Wolves

Not since the days of Gavin Miller, Gary Prohm and George Fairburn have Hull KR been such the talk of rugby league.

Indeed, not since those days have the Robins lifted a major honour.

It is fitting then that 40 years on from the title-winning side of 1984-85 the class of 2025 have put the buzz back into East Hull and can shatter that trophy hoodoo.

It all starts with Saturday’s Challenge Cup final against Warrington Wolves, with Hull KR no longer the underdogs given their remarkable ascent under Willie Peters.

Only one league defeat, by champions Wigan, lightly blemishes the Rovers record in all competitions this season, and thus all signs point to red and white glory at Wembley.

Peters is far more cautious, but wants the team to meet expectations head-on.

“Now we’re in a position where people are saying we’re favourites, we need to embrace that,” Peters told BBC Radio 5 Live.

“We’ve put ourselves in a position to be called the favourites although I still think it’s a 50-50 game because they’re a very good team.

Following on from those 1980s stars like Miller, Prohm, Fairburn and others such as Mark Broadhurst, Mike Smith and David Watkinson, the current crop are equally well-stocked for talent.

Kiwi enforcer Jared Waerea-Hargreaves brings the fear factor of a Broadhurst, captain Elliot Minchella captures the swashbuckling ball-handling of former Man of Steel Miller, and semi-final hero Jack Broadbent will be doing the Fairburn job from full-back with Arthur Mourgue cup-tied.

Perhaps the headline act these days is Mikey Lewis – a homegrown dynamo and the reigning Man of Steel.

Peters will have taken heart from the way these Robins have managed the excitement of reaching Wembley and continued their relentless form in Super League on the back of beating Catalans Dragons in their York semi-final.

Equally, the run to Wembley included the intensity of a quarter-final against neighbours Hull FC, added to a league derby against their rivals which were both negotiated smoothly amidst a run of tricky games.

With Warrington at times failing to match their cup highs in league matches given they lie eighth in the table, the league leaders could be forgiven for feeling the weight of expectation in Saturday’s showpiece.

It is a different scenario from their 2023 experience when Rovers and Leigh were considered equal odds before the Leopards triumphed in Golden Point, and last year’s Grand Final when holders Wigan were hotly-tipped to take the prize, and did.

“I don’t think it [form] does bring pressure, it should give the players a lot of belief knowing that we’ve had a lot of challenges in different situations this year,” Peters added.

“We’ve had different scenarios this year which would have put us under the pump if we’d allowed it to, but we didn’t and I’m proud of the players for that.

Few fans are as aware of Hull KR’s trophy starvation than those of their fiercest rivals Hull FC, who unsurprisingly have a terrace ditty dedicated to it.

As it happens, the other side of Hull had their moment in 2016, when they brought to an end jibes from Robins fans about their inability to win at Wembley with victory, coincidentally, against Warrington.

While the players have enough to concern themselves with on the day aside from unwanted history, the chance to give the fans some respite and quash the chant for good could be a spark somewhere for those involved on Saturday.

“We don’t speak about it and mention but we’re aware of it because it is mentioned elsewhere,” back-rower James Batchelor told BBC Sport.

Batchelor has seen brother Joe win the cup with St Helens, and his sibling will hope he can return the favour when he takes his seat at Wembley along with other members of the family.

James has also been there with his football team Huddersfield Town, witnessing the delirious joy of promotion and the haunting sorrow of play-off defeat in equal measure.

In 2025, it will be with his other family, a close-knit Hull KR team that he takes to the field with and experiences what he hopes will be more happy memories and the chance to emulate Joe in the winner’s circle.

“This group feels on another level, when Willie first came in at the same time as me it was all about connecting, caring about each other and being best mates off the field,” Batchelor added.

“We roll up to grounds with the music on and we’re pretty happy and relaxed because we do that all week as well.

Among the many subplots going into the final is the coming together of two old friends in Peters and opposite number Sam Burgess who know each other from time at Australian NRL side South Sydney Rabbitohs.

Peters, who describes the “big fella” as ‘”competitive” in his own style, has his game-plan set to get the better of Warrington, and yet is wary of the threat they will pose.

“We always focus on us but we’ll do a thorough preview,” Peters added.

“We’ve planned they’ll have the majority of their players back in the side who haven’t been playing, George Williams being back.

“But it doesn’t matter, whatever turns up on the teamsheet on that day we’ll have a plan but it’s in and around what we do, we’ve a mentality of they’ve got to stop us, this our plan and what we’re going to deliver and we make sure we get that on Saturday.”

Hull KR have delivered on everything Peters has hoped for so far apart from a trophy, and Saturday can finally see that mission accomplished.