Hudgell sad to see Welham depart Robins

Hull KR chairman Neil Hudgell has acknowledged that seeing Kris Welham leave the club at the end of the season will sadden him.

He is confident, however, that the club has made the right decision, and that the coaching staff have to work within salary cap constraints.

“Kris has served the club with distinction for a number of years, from making his debut in our promotion-winning season to becoming a senior player during our time in Super League,” Hudgell told Rovers’ official website.

“To make the decision not to retain him for next season was always going to be a difficult one for the football department but ultimately we have a salary cap to stick to and they need to decide what is in the best interests of the squad.

“I’m confident we will strike the right balance for next season, but Kris has given a lot to the club over the past 10 years and it’s only fitting that we allow him the opportunity to leave on a high.

“On a personal level there’s a good deal of sadness for me as I’ve seen him grow from a shy teenager to a grown man, with a family of his own, and an established footballer.

“He’s not only been a tremendous player for Hull Kingston Rovers, he’s also been a great ambassador for the club and I know I speak on behalf of everybody when I say we wish Kris and his family all the very best for the future.”