Hull KR landed a huge psychological blow on Wigan Warriors as they won 10-6 in a gruelling battle at the Brick Community Stadium.
Here’s our talking points.
Reliant Robins
Hull KR have one hand on the League Leaders’ Shield after picking up their first win over Wigan Warriors in five meetings. The game wasn’t always pretty but it was entertaining throughout and KR held on to claim a huge, huge win to move six points clear in the Super League table.
Dean Hadley got the first try of the night as he ran a great line through the scrambling Harry Smith to touch down. It was what KR deserved after a strong start to the game and in truth, it was what Wigan deserved, too, with errors and discipline letting them down in the first quarter of the contest.
Rhyse Martin punished Wigan further just before the break with a penalty following Liam Farrell’s sin bin for a professional foul and he kicked another penalty in the second half after Kruise Leeming’s ruck infringement.
Wigan hit back late but KR had more than enough defensively to pick up the win against a Warriors side who lacked a cutting edge with the ball in hand. For Rovers, though, this could be a huge psychological advantage as they head into the play-offs, with another meeting between these two teams surely on the cards.
A big call
Should Hull KR have been awarded a penalty try just before the break? It was certainly a bold call by video referee Jack Smith to say no after seeing Liam Farrell take out Elliot Minchella on the try line as he tried to get onto the end of Jez Litten’s grubber.
Farrell deservedly saw yellow for his efforts to deny Minchella, but KR were denied a penalty try that could well have settled the game at that point. The Wigan defender wasn’t getting there, but whether Minchella could have touched the ball down before it bounced out of play was a 50/50 call. Fortunately for KR it never proved costly.
Wigan’s half-back woes
Firstly, it must be said just how much the Warriors missed the attacking edge and flair Bevan French so often provides with the Rovers defence being untested far too often. However, with French and Jack Farrimond missing out through injury, Farrimond with the shoulder injury he picked up last week, Adam Keighran stepped into the halves on Friday night.
Just after the break though Keighran left the field for a HIA and that left Kruise Leeming in the pivots. Fortunately, he passed that assessment and he came good late with a superb piece of skill to touch down.
Hadley message to Wane
With Shaun Wane looking on, Dean Hadley took the opportunity to send the England coach a message early doors by slipping through a gap in the Wigan line. The back-rower was somewhat controversially left out of Wane’s mid-season England squad but he took the opportunity to show Wane what he was missing.
One player who probably didn’t bolster his chances of playing in the Ashes was Mikey Lewis, who didn’t have his best game at the Brick Community Stadium. It might have been different if Tyrone May was alongside him, but his last tackle choices were poor and he struggled to find opportunities he craved to create.
Wigan warning
Wigan may look to have lost out on the League Leaders’ Shield but they can’t afford to take their foot off the gas now. Leigh Leopards are three points behind at present and that could be cut to just one should they beat Hull FC on Saturday night.
The Warriors have some tricky games coming up too, with Wakefield Trinity next week being far from straightforward. Catalans Dragons away is always tricky too, while games against St Helens, Castleford Tigers and Leeds Rhinos to end the season will certainly be tough. If Wigan take their eye off the ball with the League Leaders’ Shield almost out of reach or if heads drop, they could find themselves tumbling out of the top two completely.
WE TAKE HOME THE WIN 🔥#UpTheRobins🔴⚪️ pic.twitter.com/pXtDsvjs0Y
— Hull KR (@hullkrofficial) August 15, 2025
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