‘Everyone has been impressed’ – Matt Peet pays tribute to fellow Super League coach

Drew Darbyshire
Matt Peet Wigan Warriors SWpix

Photo: Allan McKenzie/SWpix

Wigan head coach Matt Peet has praised his Hull KR counterpart Willie Peters ahead of Thursday’s televised Super League clash.

Super League returns this week, with the Warriors facing the Robins at Craven Park on Thursday night, with both teams having booked places in the Challenge Cup quarter-finals last weekend.

There’s not much separating second-placed Wigan and Hull KR in third, with both teams sitting on 16 points, having won eight from 12 so far this season.

Peet, whose side were beaten 27-18 at Hull KR in the opening round of the campaign, knows just how good the Robins are this season.

“There’ll be no surprises this time,” Peet said. “They’ve been really consistent.

“I’ve got a lot of respect for the way Willie has got the team playing.

“I think their effort areas and their commitment to one another has been there in pretty much every game I’ve watched of them.

“I know a few times their personnel has changed, you can see what they are about, their identity is really strong. You align that with some of talent they’ve got in (Shaun) Kenny-Dowall, (Ryan) Hall, (Kane) Linnett and (Mikey) Lewis – the two running nines, (Jez) Litten and (Matt) Parcell – I think they are a team who will still be around these positions at the back end of the year, I don’t see them going away and I don’t see them going away during this game either.

“They are a really honest team and I think it’ll be a game where effort areas and energy are tested throughout.

“I look forward to it, it is definitely a challenge but they are a good team and we’ve got a lot of respect for them.”

Matt Peet: Everyone has been impressed with them

Peters has made a strong start to life as Hull KR head coach, with the Robins in third as they target a play-off finish as well as reaching the quarters of the Cup.

“I think everyone has been impressed,” Peet said of the job Peters is doing.

“I think they played Salford after they beat us and you could just see that it just wasn’t a one-off.

“Since then, they were flying at one point with (Jordan) Abdull and Lewis playing together, then you take Jordan out and they’ve remained consistent which speaks volumes and you realise then that it runs deeper than just a few individuals.

“That’s what Willie has instilled structurally and culturally along with Danny McGuire. I think you can see this year that they are in it for the long haul and it’s brilliant for Super League.

“For what’s happening at Hull KR, it has got some vibrancy about it on and off the field.”

Hull KR host Wigan at Craven Park in Round 13 of Super League on Thursday night (8pm), live on Sky Sports.

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