Super League outfit Hull KR announce dual-registration partnership with Championship big hitters Featherstone Rovers
Hull KR head coach Willie Peters (left) & Featherstone Rovers boss James Ford (right) - Alamy
Super League side Hull KR and Championship club Featherstone Rovers have agreed a dual-registration partnership for 2024.
The partnership – a common one in rugby league – will see players from both sides able to play for one another, though in the most part will allow KR’s fringe players the opportunity to gain first-team experience and play competitive rugby league in the Championship for development purposes.
When a player goes on dual-registration, they will be eligible to play and train with both clubs. The player will be restricted to play in one fixture per scheduled round in any given week and would not be eligible to play twice over the same weekend if, for example, KR played on a Friday and Featherstone on a Sunday.
The dual-registration rule was introduced in 2013, with the Robins’ previous partners including Keighley Cougars and Dewsbury Rams.
League 1 Player of the Year Reiss Butterworth has now made the permanent switch from Dewsbury to Craven Park ahead of 2024.
Featherstone Rovers boss James Ford describes dual-registration with Hull KR as ‘vital’
While KR flourished in the top flight last term, making it into the Super League play-off semi-finals as well as the Challenge Cup final, Featherstone failed in their promotion bid.
Having lost out to London Broncos in the semi-finals, Rovers head coach James Ford is now re-building following a mass exodus of 17 players, and he describes this newly-agreed partnership as ‘vital’ to that cause.
He said: “This year, we are building a squad of leaders who have proven themselves in Super League, week in and week out, combined with young, hungry players keen to prove themselves. Our partnership with Hull KR is vital to this.
“Hull KR are proving to be a model to follow. It’s not long since they were a leading Championship club and now find themselves as legitimate Super League contenders.
“They have a squad full of quality, and some of those players will be looking for opportunities to prove themselves and win back their Robins’ shirt. We can provide them with that opportunity.”