Micky McIlorum admits there’s a chance that this season could be his last as a rugby league player. At the age of 37, McIlorum is preparing for his 19th year as a Super League player after making the decision to join Hull KR from Catalans Dragons over the off-season.
The hooker penned a one-year deal with the Robins, who reached the Grand Final last season, and he’ll make up one part of a three-man hooker team under Willie Peters alongside Jez Litten and fellow new recruit Bill Leyland.
Winning silverware was the motivation behind the move, with McIlorum turning down the opportunity to stay in the south of France to move to east Hull and the former England international would love to bow out having won a fourth Challenge Cup or a third Grand Final.
However, if his body fails him or he can’t make the desired impact this year, he’s prepared to call it a day and hang his boots up at the end of the year.
“Not really,” McIlorum told Serious About RL when asked if he’d thought about what lies beyond his one-year deal at Craven Park. “I just want to see how my body is and see how I perform.
“If I’m not contributing and my body breaks down then I’m not going to play again but at this age you just take each year as it comes and see how you feel nearer the end of it. I’m here to try and win something so if we can I’ll retire happy.”
Asked why the move back to England appealed to him, he added: “I just saw this as a last chance to get my hands on some silverware before I finished.
Hull KR are delighted to confirm Michael McIlorum has signed a one-year deal with the club from the 2025 Betfred Super League season 👊
Read more here 👉 https://t.co/LHbcYFog8C#UpTheRobins🔴⚪️ pic.twitter.com/N4PC0ia8QU
— Hull KR (@hullkrofficial) July 18, 2024
“Obviously Catalans didn’t have a good year last year and I missed the majority of the season myself through injury. I just saw what Hull KR did last year, obviously Tyrone [May] was here, Tom Davies had signed, so there was a few factors but the main one was I want to win something before I retire.
“I spoke to [Steve McNamara] after the decision. It was a bit of surprise for me because I was planning on staying and I got offered a contract but it just took too long and Tyrone spoke to me and Willie spoke to me and bended my ear a little bit.
“I signed here and I spoke to Steve after, he’s got a few properties in Beverley and he’s a Hull lad so he loves the place so I got glowing reviews from him.”
