Hull KR coach shares confidence in Mikey Lewis’ attitude as return from suspension nears

Hull KR boss Willie Peters has backed Mikey Lewis to make a positive return from suspension, insisting the half-back has learned from the period on the sidelines.

2024 Super League Man of Steel Lewis has missed Rovers’ last three matches, and will also be suspended for Thursday night’s home game against Catalans Dragons before returning to contention next Tuesday night when Warrington Wolves visit Craven Park.

His four-match ban dates back to the Robins’ previous meeting against Wire at the Halliwell Jones Stadium last month, after which Lewis was charged by the Match Review Panel (MRP) for both a headbutt and a late hit.

The late hit on young counterpart Ewan Irwin came towards the end of that game at the HJ, and brought a yellow card from referee Liam Moore as KR fell to a 34-12 defeat.

‘I’m confident when he comes back that we’ll see an energised Mikey Lewis… he’ll learn from this period’

Peters’ side have coped admirably in Lewis’ absence so far, coming from behind to beat rivals Hull FC across the city at the MKM Stadium before sweeping aside Bradford Bulls on home soil and Castleford Tigers at The Jungle.

Monday afternoon saw KR’s head coach undertake pre-match media duties ahead of the clash against Catalans, which marks the first of three games in just nine days.

Peters said: “He (Lewis) has started to be more vocal in team meetings now that he’s getting closer to coming back.

“I think it’s been good for him to be able to sit back and watch where we can be better, but we’ve spoken about the calmness of the team in terms of our attack at the moment, and he’ll learn from this period.

“It’s good for him to be able to sit back at times. When you’re in the midst of it week-to-week, you can get caught up in the rugby league treadmill. He’s been able to take a breath.

KR sit fifth on the Super League ladder ahead of Round 23, needing to finish in the top four to earn a home tie in the first week of the play-offs as they look to defend their crown.

Arthur Mourgue plugged the gap left by Lewis for the first game of his suspension as Peters’ side won at Hull FC, but the France international picked up another injury: so Ryan Hampshire has stepped into the stand-off role for the last two games.

On Lewis, Australian boss Peters added: “He needs to learn from his situation that put him on the sidelines.

“I’m confident when he comes back that we’ll see an energised Mikey Lewis, and he needs to be that calm head because that’s what has helped us to get through these last three games (while he’s been suspended), especially the Hull FC game.

“We were down 12-0 and it was composure that got us back into it.”