Hull KR

Hull KR injury update as Willie Peters explains call not to challenge Jared Waerea-Hargreaves ban

by
Sam Cook
May 20, 2025

Hull KR head coach Willie Peters has explained the club’s choice not to appeal Jared Waerea-Hargreaves ban and issued an injury update as well, after his side’s 34-0 win over Huddersfield Giants.

The Robins were the only one of the Challenge Cup semi-finalists to come out of Super League Round 11 with a victory, however, approaching the hour mark it wasn’t looking too convincing.

Hull KR led just 4-0 before a final 20-minute onslaught took them to a very comfortable scoreline and Peters admitted that all of the Challenge Cup semi-finalists had “flat periods”.

The ability to overcome that will have pleased Peters but the injury concern for Bill Leyland and the subsequent two-match ban for Jared Waerea-Hargreaves won’t have.

Peters spoke on both matters today when addressing the media ahead of Friday’s clash with Warrington Wolves, providing an injury update and explaining the club’s decision not to appeal the Kiwi’s ban.

Bill Leyland injury update and why Hull KR didn’t appeal JWH ban

Asked for an overall injury assessment, the Australian claimed things were “not too bad”, adding: “We’ve had a couple of minor issues today so we’ve just got to wait and see with some guys.

“Overall, we’re pretty good and we’ll know more later on in the week.”

Leyland came off just before half-time against Huddersfield but did return and Peters gave more information on the young hooker and his ankle injury.

The Hull KR boss said: “He’s not too bad, he trained today and then he sort of faltered again so that’s one that we’re going to have to make a call on later on in the week.”

Fans will have to wait until Wednesday at noon to see if Leyland is named in the 21-man squad, however, one man who won’t feature is Jared Waerea-Hargreaves after he landed a two-match ban for his high shot on Matty English.

Hull KR opted not to appeal the decision and Peters explained the reasons why, noting: “It is what it is. It’s unfortunate because if you fight those things then he misses a cup final if we don’t win.

“We’re not going to give it too much more energy now because it’s a decision that’s been made and we’ll move on.”

The RFL had explained that the lack of mitigation combined with English failing a HIA automatically make it a Grade D charge, so unless Hull KR could have argued for mitigation then their appeal would have failed which would have added five penalty points, and a further game to the prop’s ban.

Too early for League Leaders Shield talk but Peters confirms no rotation

With Waerea-Hargreaves effectively rested via the disciplinary panel, Peters was asked if he had any other plans to rest players, in light of the upcoming Challenge Cup Final. Both Peta Hiku and Sauaso Sue sat out Saturday’s game against the Giants.

“We won’t rotate,” Peters explained.

“If players don’t play then they’re not going to be fit enough to play, we don’t want to risk them. It’s not going to be a rotation sort of system.”

On Hiku and Sue, he said: “We definitely gave two guys a rest on the weekend who have played fair bit and trained a lot but this week there will be players playing that will be able to play.

“Obviously this time of the year, most people and most teams and players have got injuries and niggles so either they can play through them or they can’t.”

Another reason not to rotate players would be the fact that Wigan Warriors are breathing down the neck of Hull KR in the race for top spot, which obviously comes with the prize of the League Leaders Shield.

Asked if he is contemplating that at this stage in the season, Peters said: “It would be nice, absolutely. We want to go after any silverware that’s available and we’re in a position to be able to do that. But it’s early in the season, so we’re certainly not getting carried away.

“Wigan don’t lose too many games. You’ve obviously got Leigh there and Leeds are playing well. Wigan, as I said before, they’re a team that don’t drop too many games so if you do drop games, then you’re not going to get the League Leaders Shield.”

The Robins travel to the Halliwell Jones Stadium to face Warrington on Friday night in what is effectively a dress rehearsal for the Challenge Cup Final at Wembley on June 7th.