Hull KR head coach Willie Peters seems to have confirmed that current spine starter Ryan Hampshire will not be with the club next year, stating his belief that he will be a ‘great squad player for someone else’ in 2027.
Of course, Peters will also not be at Hull KR in 2027 so it could well be that his replacement Nathan Cayless decides that he likes what he is seeing from the veteran playmaker Hampshire and moves to re-sign him.
But for now, Peters has offered the first indication yet that Hampshire will not be a Hull KR player in 2027, something that may have been expected given the fact he joined the Robins after trialling with the reserves.
A Featherstone Rovers player in 2025, Hampshire found himself without a club when they went bust but his name mysteriously appeared on a Hull KR Reserves’ team sheet back in March, with the Robins officially signing him in April.
The 31-year-old featured in round 12 when KR rotated ahead of the Challenge Cup Final and he’s played four games since, including the last two during Mikey Lewis’ suspension.
On those performances, Peters said: “I think he’s done a great job. We brought him in because I just saw that in terms of our spine, there was probably a lack of depth, which we’ve had in the past, and more so experience.”
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Why Hull KR are using Ryan Hampshire instead of Jack Charles as veteran’s off-contract status confirmed
That experience is ultimately why young signing Jack Charles, who arrived from Hull FC, has not featured, with Peters stating: “What you want to do is develop Jack. So, once he starts to play, he ends up being that 10, 12, 15 year first team player.
“He had his time at FC and that can knock you around a bit, being on the wrong end of the scoreboard, big scores against you and then people blaming sometimes him for the losses, which was ridiculous.
“We want to make sure that we manage and develop him the right way and take our time with him.”
Hampshire offers that experience in the immediacy and is also more suited to playing Hull KR’s two full-backs-style system that Peters is operating, and whilst showering the veteran in praise, Peters seemingly confirmed his impending exit.
“We got Ryan in that could play full-back. We wanted to have a bit of depth there and also in the halves and he’s taken his opportunity,” the Australian said.
“I think at this stage, he’s not with our squad next year and I think he’d be a great squad player for someone else, similar to how we’ve used him this year, because I knew at some stage he’d have to do a job and he certainly is for us. We brought him in to do exactly what he’s doing now.”
That will alert plenty of clubs as Hampshire is certainly someone who brings plenty of versatility and reliability, having played a similar role in the past when at Wigan Warriors during their quadruple-winning 2024 campaign.
