Hull KR have confirmed that Nathan Cayless will be the man to take over from Willie Peters at the end of the season with the club announcing the former Kiwi captain as their new head coach.
A former New Zealand international, Cayless has agreed a three-year deal to take over at Craven Park from the start of the 2027 season with Hull KR narrowing down a host of interviewees before locking in the 48-year-old as their new head coach.
He will replace the outgoing Willie Peters, with the Australian set to take up an opportunity in the NRL with incoming side the PNG Chiefs. As was the case with Peters, coaching Hull KR will be the first time that Cayless has had a first-grade head coaching opportunity, with previous roles being as an assistant or in the NRL reserve grade. That’s a blueprint that worked with Willie Peters and KR will hope the same can be said for Cayless.
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Who is new Hull KR head coach Nathan Cayless?
Cayless was a one-club man during his playing career, making 259 appearances for Parramatta Eels between 1997 and 2010 but he also played an impressive 39 games for New Zealand, the ninth most of any player to represent the nation.
As a coach, he’s worked in the reserve grade of Australia, coaching Wentworthville and the reserves of both New Zealand Warriors and Parramatta, whilst also serving as an assistant coach in the NRL at both Sydney Roosters and Wests Tigers. He will also work as the assistant coach for New Zealand at this upcoming World Cup, after which he will join up with the Robins.
That pedigree has seen him land the job over a number of other candidates, with Hull KR formally announcing him as their new head coach this morning.
A statement read: “Hull KR are delighted to announce the appointment of Nathan Cayless as the club’s new Head Coach on a three-year deal from the start of the 2027 Betfred Super League season.
“Cayless will join the Robins ahead of the 2027 campaign, bringing with him a wealth of coaching experience from the NRL and international game as Hull KR continue to build towards long-term success on and off the field.”
Hull KR appoint Nathan Cayless after interviewing over 15 coaches
Replacing Willie Peters was never going to be an easy task given the huge success he has had at Hull KR but the Robins believe they’ve got the right man for the job, something that CEO Paul Lakin explained.
Lakin explained: “This is the culmination of a comprehensive three month process in which we have engaged with over 15 coaches worldwide.
“Nathan meets our desired profile and attributes exactly, and we are delighted to have secured his services. He is a born leader who has been an Assistant for 8 years across 4 NRL clubs, Head Coach at both NSW Cup and U20 levels, and is now Assistant to Stacey Jones for New Zealand heading into the World Cup.
“He understands the culture of our club, how we compete as a team, and how we represent our community.”
Lakin was sure to point out that there is a strong understanding between Cayless and the club about the direction of travel, revealing: “In short Nathan just ‘gets it and us’, our ambitions, personality, and the trajectory we are on.
“We believe he has all the outstanding attributes necessary to continue the fantastic work and achievements of Willie Peters as he becomes our Head Coach from 2027 onwards.
“Our focus now, remains fully on this season, we have so much we all want to achieve together in 2026.”
