Hull KR are still yet to see the best of Jez Litten, who head coach Willie Peters believes can aid the Robins in their run-in as they look to defend their title from last year.
Litten was influential in 2025 and that saw him earn the starting berth as England’s hooker in two of the three Ashes Tests and despite the Robins struggling for form of late, it seems as though Litten is approaching his best once again.
Hull FC boss Andy Last cited Litten as the difference when the two teams played last week and Peters, speaking to media earlier this week, agreed.
“Yeah, look, he’s obviously the England nine and he was on top of his game last week,” Peters said when asked about Litten potentially stepping up in the absence of the suspended Mikey Lewis.
“It was good to see him back. There’s no coincidence that when Jez is playing like that, the team play well.He’s such an important part of what we do and I’m sure he’s going to be important to what England do at the back end of the year.
“He played the full 80 minutes, and when he’s playing like that, you can just leave him on, and you know that we’re going to be in a decent position. I like what he did. It was a Jez Litten performance, and it was enjoyable to watch because he made his mark on that game.”
Hull KR star tipped for World Cup honours
Litten was one of just a handful of players to be at the club before Willie Peters arrived but he’s certainly taken his game to a new level under the Australian, however, Peters thinks there is still more to come.
“Jez is one, he’ll play until his mid-30’s. He’ll be 35, 36, I believe, still playing,” Peters argued.
“He’s definitely going into his best years. We haven’t seen the best of Jez Litten. I think that’s an exciting thing for the club going forward.”
On Litten’s World Cup chances, he added: “Hopefully he’s the [England] nine. If not, he’ll be in around that 17 at the end of the year, I believe.
“He’ll have a big say in how England do at the end of the year, and he’ll have a big say in how we do the back end of the year.
“When you’re talking about a player like that, it means that they’re one of the higher-end players in the country, and he certainly is. He’s one of our best players. There’s no doubt about that.
“When he’s on, most of the time, we’re in a strong position.”
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Peters issues Tevita Pangai Jr update
Peters would also issue an update on the suspended Tevita Pangai Jr, with the prop still serving a six-game ban after his altercation with Jake Connor during Hull KR’s loss to Leeds Rhinos.
That time off has afforded the prop time to find his fitness levels with both Peters and Pangai Jr previously admitting that his fitness wasn’t at the required level.
Peters said: “He’s been great. All I want to judge Tevita on now is what he does now and going forward.
“I’ve said it before, he did the wrong things, been punished for it, but if you have a look, he’s physically looking really good.
“He’s lost a lot of weight, and he’s putting himself in the best position to be able to show what Tevita’s about.”
Peters admitted: “He didn’t do that pre-[suspension]. He did in snippets, but he was never going to in terms of where he was at weight-wise.
“Now, he’s playing or ready to play at a weight that will see the best of Tevita.”
The prop forward will miss out again tonight against Bradford with that being the fifth of his six-game ban, with the prop eligible to return against his former club Catalans Dragons in round 23.
