Ex-Hull KR man previews 2025 after becoming latest signing for Championship side

One former Hull KR man has reflected briefly on his time at the club whilst speaking on his 2025 move and what fans can expect.

Hull KR had a brilliant 2024 campaign as they fell one game short of a maiden Super League title when they fell 9-2 to Wigan Warriors at Old Trafford.

One man who was in and around the club but failed to take to the field for them was Reiss Butterworth with the young hooker now landing a deal at a new club.

Butterworth, who Hull KR had signed from Dewsbury ahead of the 2024 season, will be playing his rugby league with Sheffield Eagles in 2025 after signing a two-year deal with the Championship outfit.

Limited to loan moves during the 2024 season, Butterworth will now look to establish himself with the Eagles after becoming their second signing for the 2025 campaign as they look to return to the play-offs.

Ironically, Butterworth played a key role in Sheffield missing the play-offs as he scored for Dewsbury Rams in the final game of the season, leading Rams to victory and condemning the Eagles to seventh in the table.

Former Hull KR man explains Sheffield Eagles move

That was something he spoke about during his first interview as a Sheffield Eagles player, explaining: “I don’t think anyone expected Dewsbury to win at the time but all the (Sheffield) fans were loud and cheering.”

The Rams were 33/1 underdogs for that game but the loss capped off a woeful end to the season for Sheffield who lost seven of their final nine games after the suspension of head coach Mark Aston.

Reflecting on that final game of the season, Butterworth explained: “I knew when I scored, I’m scoring against them this year, but I know for the next couple of years, I’ll hopefully be scoring for Sheffield, so it was sort of bittersweet.”

Prior to Aston’s suspension, something that has since resulted in him being banned from coaching for 18 months, Sheffield were flying and Butterworth spoke on that as he explained his desire to be involved in ‘big games’ motivated the move.

Butterworth explained: “Seeing how the boys started off the year last year and how they performed for the majority of the year. It’s a really good club with really good facilities and I’m looking forward to ripping in.

“Sheffield aims big every year to finish in the top two or four and I know it will be no different for the next couple of years. I want to be playing in the big games and the play-off games and I’m really looking forward to that.”

He also explained how his time at Hull KR where he was involved in a full-time environment could benefit him for the upcoming campaign.

On the Robins, he said: “Obviously the boys had a really good year last year as they got all the way to the GF. Training full-time is tough but speaking to the club, I know training here is tough as well and emulates that full-time environment.”