Hull KR made another statement of intent with the addition of Rhyse Martin on Wednesday afternoon. The Leeds Rhinos man will take up a two-year deal with the club next season, joining the east Hull outfit despite having plenty of other options over the course of the season.
Martin has been a picture of consistency over his six years at Leeds and the club were thought to be keen to keep him. However, the back-rower couldn’t be blamed for seeing a move to Craven Park as his best chance of getting his hands on more silverware.
The Robins are currently sitting on top of the Super League table and with just four games of the regular season remaining they are in a good place to end their 39 year wait for major silverware. Whatever happens this year won’t have an impact on next year’s expectations, though, with Martin being the seventh signing made by the club going into 2025.
The forward boasts bags of experience and leadership and with Ryan Hall and Matt Parcell leaving the club at the end of the 2024 campaign, that will certainly come in handy. In fact, it’s clear that experience is something Willie Peters and the Rovers recruitment team has actively pursued with the 31-year-old being joined by Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, who will be 36 by the time next season starts, and Micky McIlorum, who turns 37 in January.
Of course, the signings of Bill Leyland and Eribe Doro show that KR have been looking to the future, too, but the above trio will be expected to make an immediate impact at Craven Park.
Martin, McIlorum and Waerea-Hargreaves are stepping into what is already an experienced side, too. Six of Peters’ current squad will be aged between 30 and 32 by the time next season kicks off, with Joe Burgess, Dean Hadley, Niall Evalds, Peta Hiku, Jesse Sue and Kelepi Tanginoa all boasting huge amounts of nous and knowhow.
With those experienced heads being supplemented with the talents of the likes of Mikey Lewis, Jez Litten, James Batchelor and Sam Luckley, Rovers are arguably in the strongest position of any side in Super League.
It’s hard not to look at the remaining months of the 2024 Super League campaign and the two or three seasons that will follow as a window of golden opportunity, then. Every squad has a shelf life and given Rovers will have nine players over the age of 30 in their best 17 next season, it’s obvious that theirs is a relatively short one.
But unlike in years gone by, this squad hasn’t been built for years to come, it’s been put together to win now and that has to be the objective in east Hull as they look to build on whatever happens over the next couple of months.
Critics may see the average age of next season’s squad as a negative, but so many, including Martin, are still at the peak of their powers. The likes of Handley, Sue and Evalds have been among KR’s top performers this season and the addition of proven winners can only be a benefit as the club strive to establish themselves as a Super League giant.
You wouldn’t think it given their performances this season, but Rovers are still relatively new to the upper echelons of the division. It shouldn’t be forgotten that Hull KR finished rock bottom in 2020 and narrowly avoided relegation the season before.
Rovers have managed to build and put themselves in such a position on the back of strong recruitment over the last few years, with huge strides forward being made off the pitch, too, as well as on it.
Winning is simply the next step then and what Rovers have provided Peters with is a squad that is capable of not only building a legacy but cementing the club’s position as a consistent high performer once more.
