Hull KR coach’s passionate support for 15-team league as player welfare debate roars on
Hull KR head coach Willie Peters
Hull KR boss Willie Peters insists expanding Super League and introducing bye weeks would lead to situations like the one his squad currently find themselves in occurring far less often.
KR head to Wigan Warriors on Thursday night in a Round 25 clash, with the reigning Super League champions yet to lock in their play-off spot.
It would appear incredibly highly unlikely their quest to lock in that top six spot will be bolstered in the clash, with Rovers making changes aplenty to their squad and potentially handing out as many as six first-team debuts.
That decision comes with games remaining against Huddersfield Giants and seventh-placed St Helens, in which head coach Peters hopes to have some of his first-team regulars available, with numerous of them currently nursing injuries.
The Australian doesn’t believe his squad would be in such bad shape had it not been for a gruelling season with no breaks to this point.
‘We’ve been forced to go and play four games in 15 days off the back of the season we’ve had… the schedule needs looking at, absolutely it does’
On the back of their Super League title success last term, KR were involved in the World Club Challenge back in February. They also faced Leeds Rhinos in Las Vegas.
After going on to reach the Challenge Cup final, the knock-on effect Peters’ side have to play a re-arranged Super League clash against Warrington Wolves on a Tuesday night last week. This clash at Wigan is their fourth game in only a fortnight.
Speaking in his pre-match press conference on Wednesday morning, the Robins boss said: “We’ve been forced to go and play four games in 15 days off the back of the season we’ve had. It’s very difficult to do.
“There was a plan to play certain players now, but we’ve been forced to play some others, and that’s unfortunate because it’s just where we’re at.
“The schedule needs looking at, absolutely it does. If you speak to anyone within the game, and talk to players… get some feedback to see how they feel about the schedule.
“I made this point at the start of the year that this was going to be a gruelling time for us off the back of everything. That’s what success brings, it was always going to be a difficult time.
“You need bye weeks. Look at our performance last week (against Toulouse), that was well below par. We’ve had some average performances this year, but last week was due to fatigue.
“It was 6-6 at half-time, which was probably flattering, and then they ran away from us at the end.”
‘I definitely feel we need to have bye weeks, it’s important, and I’m sure they’ll do it’
Peters is far from the first head coach to make his feelings known around the gruelling schedule teams in Super League have faced this season.
He will depart for the NRL at the end of the season as he takes charge of new franchise PNG Chiefs.
But as he gets set to leave Super League behind, he’s confident things will improve come 2027 as he explained: “We’re in the entertainment business.
“This is all to entertain fans, so it’s important that the best players are playing and the standard is at its highest every single week.
“I definitely feel we need to have bye weeks, it’s important, and I’m sure they’ll do it.
“Look at our schedule, it’s not excuses, it’s reality. You’re going to have a dip.
“I drive the team and our standards to the highest level. But I’m also aware and realistic to where we’re at, at the moment.
“It will help the game by having bye weeks, that’s for sure. That’s both in terms of the product and player welfare.”
