The experience of Ryan Hall promises to be invaluable this week as Hull KR push to reach their first ever Grand Final. That’s according to Rovers boss Willie Peters who is preparing his side to take on Warrington Wolves on Friday in the Super League play-off semi-finals.
Hall will be leaving Craven Park at the end of the season as he returns to Leeds Rhinos, the club where it all began for him and he’ll be determined to go out on a high by helping the Robins claim their first piece of major silverware since 1985. Of course, success is a feeling Hall knows a thing or two about, having won six Grand Finals during his days at the Rhinos before his move to Sydney Roosters.
The first of those came in 2008, with further Super League rings coming in 2009, 2011, 2012, 2015 and 2017. As such, with KR just one game away from the Theatre of Dreams, Hall might just feel the need to dish out some advice.
“Ever since I got here his experience has been invaluable,” Peters told Serious About RL. “He’s been there and he’s been through these experiences so he’s seen it before and understands it.
“He knows what to say and the actions you need to have to get through something or whatever it may be. He’s been great and he’s part of our leadership group and I’m sure once we get closer to the game he’ll give the players more feedback and tips on how we approach things.
“Hally is well respected by the group because of what he’s done and when he speaks people listen. He doesn’t say a great deal but when it comes to these situations, he’ll be direct on what needs to happen and how we do it.”
Another experienced member of the Hull KR dressing room is Dean Hadley, who in all honesty can probably count himself unfortunate not to have been included in the Super League Dream Team this year. Hadley hasn’t seen the heights Hall has in his career, but with over 200 games under his belt, he’s one of the most experienced and reliable members of the KR line up.
“He’s a player that others want to play with,” Peters added when asked about Hadley. “He’s very well respected within our group, you can play him at prop, back-row, 13 and he still does a great job. He does it every week for us, he plays big minutes, you take him off and he blows up. They’re the players that you want.
“They’re the ones you want to play with. It’s a team sport. Some people look at it is an individual sport and make it just about them, but what I’m really enjoying about the players we’ve got and the players I’m working with is that they put the club and their teammates before them.”
