Willie Peters: Hull KR’s departing icon who proved memories are better than dreams

It was always a case of when rather than if for Hull KR and Willie Peters, but that won’t make his departure hurt any less.

It now appears inevitable that this season will be Peters’ last as Robins boss. The club is bracing for his departure, with the PNG Chiefs identifying him as the man they want to be their inaugural head coach.

There’s no sugarcoating it; this is a massive blow for Hull KR. Peters will go down as one of the club’s all-time greats after his efforts. He brought back silverware, fans dared to dream, and he delivered moments that those supporters could never, ever have imagined would happen only a few years before his arrival.

It’s hard to think of a coach that has had such a seismic impact on a club like Willie Peters has Hull KR.

The one source of comfort for Rovers comes in the timing. If and when the deal is signed and sealed, it at least gives club officials time to find a replacement. There has always been an understanding withing the four walls of Craven Park that this day would come eventually, all they ever wanted was time to sort it. The fact that a decision has been made in March provides them with that.

Not that finding a replacement will be easy. How do you replace Willie Peters? It is, frankly, impossible. Rovers will not be short of applicants; this is now a very attractive job. But my word, does the next person have big shoes to fill.

That said, whoever inherits this club gets one in a good spot. Changes to the squad may be needed; there are a fair number of players now in their mid-thirties. But it’s also a squad that has a lot of its star players signed up long-term, and some salary cap space to work with for next season.

For now, the focus is on Peters and his squad. Together, they will want to go out on a high. One thing is for sure, they went from good to great to immortal.

And they proved memories are much better than dreams.