The tide has certainly turned in Hull with Hull KR now the dominant force relative to their neighbours FC in West Hull and plenty of the current success began under former Black and Whites coach Tony Smith, who has now revealed the star player the Robins signed ‘on the cheap’.
Tony Smith coached Hull KR from 2019 until the middle of the 2022 season and took the Robins to their first-ever Super League playoff semi-final, the first of a string of semi-finals that the club have now made.
It might have ended badly but Hull KR certainly improved under Tony Smith with plenty of the building blocks established during his tenure at Craven Park, including the arrival of NRL star Shaun Kenny-Dowall.
Sam Cook was one of Hull KR’s best-ever acquisitions, according to Tony Smith, “on the cheap.”16 June 2024 Hull KR
Hull has seen a significant shift in power, with Hull KR now leading their neighbors FC in West Hull. Tony Smith, the former Black and Whites coach, was largely responsible for much of the present success and has since disclosed the outstanding player the Robins acquired “on the cheap.”
From 2019 until the middle of the 2022 season, Tony Smith was the Hull KR coach. During that time, he guided the Robins to their first-ever Super League playoff semi-final—the first of many that the team has since made.
Although it may not have gone well in the end, Tony Smith helped Hull KR grow significantly.
Speaking as part of Sky Sports‘ preview of the Hull FC and Leeds Rhinos game, Smith spoke about his time in both halves of the city, including the arrival of Shaun Kenny-Dowall. He used the centre as an example of elite recruitment, something that Hull KR have become masters of with current signings such as Peta Hiku, Tyrone May, Kelepi Tanginoa and Niall Evalds all having extraordinary seasons.
Smith explained that landing just one star such as Kenny-Dowall can help turn the tide on recruitment, something that Hull FC will be hoping arrivals such as John Asiata will do for them.
He said: “I was fortunate enough at my previous club before this one, at Hull KR, to get Shaun Kenny Dowall over.
“They turned a corner on that and made it much more attractive, much more attractive and you start to develop a culture and he was a big part of that. And he didn’t come for big money, he came at the end of his career, NRL career, to come over here to make a difference and to leave a legacy, he bought into that.”
Wigan head coach Matt Peet called Shaun Kenny-Dowall one of the best overseas
signings ever during his Super League tenure because of his exceptional play, saying, “I think Shaun Kenny-Dowall is actually underrated as the impact he’s had on Super League.” Being a huge fan of his, I believe he ought to go down as one of the greatest Super League acquisitions ever.
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