In the coming weeks, the Robins will conduct business that will significantly impact 2026 and beyond.
Lennie Ellis became the first Hull KR player to head out on loan yesterday after his move to Goole Vikings was confirmed. He won’t be the last. Rovers have had a plan throughout the off-season to get their younger players first-team opportunities elsewhere this season. It’s not only an opportunity to gain experience but to push their way into Willie Peters’ plans next year.
Rovers have made no secret the fact that not only do they want their youngsters to break through, but they need them to. Salary cap pressures are going to mount if the Robins don’t have some of their younger players come through and establish themselves in the first-team and it will make it difficult for them to retain their key performers.
In that sense, there is more willingness than ever from within the club to see their young talent succeed. The onus is on the youngsters to take the opportunities that are going to be afforded to them.
The likes of Leo Tennison, Connor Barley, Zach Fishwick and Louix Gorman are the next group that Rovers will be hoping to make that breakthrough. It’s not simple, the step up to Super League is big and establishing yourself in this Hull KR team is difficult for established players.
But 2025 will likely see those players take up opportunities in the Championship, which has proven to be a fantastic grounding for players who have gone on to establish themselves as top players in Super League. The likes of Ash Handley, Harry Newman, Liam Marshall and Matty Ashton all had good periods of time playing in the second tier before getting opportunities in the top flight.
Rovers have their part to play in all of this too and these players need support. But there’s a common goal here and that’s good news for everyone. It will be fascinating to see how 2025 plays out for Rovers’ young talent and while their immediate performances aren’t essential to the club in the short-term, they certainly are taking on a long-term view.
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