Mikey Lewis ‘lost his rag’ before sin bin as Jon Wilkin assesses Hull KR star’s brain explosion

Pundit Jon Wilkin has claimed that Hull KR star Mikey Lewis ‘lost his rag’ in the lead-up to his sin bin that ultimately cost the Robins against York Knights on the opening night of Super League.

Heavy favourites heading into the game, Hull KR lost 19-18 to the promoted North Yorkshire club with the game turning after Lewis was sent to the sin bin just before the hour mark.

York were brilliant throughout and had frustrated Hull KR but the champions made it 18-6, at which point many expected them to cruise to victory but they then went down to twelve men after Lewis tripped Liam Harris.

The Knights scored with the man advantage and that pressure and momentum grew as a third try and an Ata Hingano drop goal won it for Mark Applegarth’s side, however, much of the post-match talk focused on Mikey Lewis’ actions.

Sky Sports presenter Brian Carney scorned Lewis for looking ‘incredulous’ as he walked off to to the sin bin, adding: “It’s as if he can’t believe what everybody else has seen… They’ve got him bang to rights on this.”

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Hull KR star’s wild sin bin assessed

Pundits Sam Tomkins and Jon Wilkin also had their say on the matter with Tomkins, who was part of the England coaching set-up for the Ashes where Lewis featured heavily, labelling it a ‘dumb play’.

Jon Wilkin then begin his analysis, pointing to video footage of Mikey Lewis becoming embroiled with Liam Harris earlier in the game and seen in the embedded tweet below.

Wilkin explained: “It started off with the Whitbread try, there’s a push on Harris and he is verballing him. This is him emotionally over-aroused and he’s giving it to him.

“Now that’s not a calm international player. That’s a guy who’s lost his rag and whether Harris has done an expert job of chipping away at him that leads to this yellow card, then I think fair play to him.”

For Tomkins, the incident needed a line drawing under it: “Don’t go over the top with it, no one got injured. Let’s not bag Mikey Lewis. It was a dumb play but he’s got a big game next week and I hope there aren’t any repercussions for him.”

Those repercussions that he references are of course a possible ban with Hull KR in line to play Brisbane Broncos next Thursday in the World Club Challenge.

What a start to the season for Jai Whitbread! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/8EjwYRVdrZ

— Sky Sports Rugby League (@SkySportsRL) February 12, 2026

Sam Tomkins defends Mikey Lewis after ‘dumb play’

Tomkins continued his argument, stating: “He’s not gone and hit anyone around the head, he’s not hit out with a real malicious dirty play. He’s a bit frustrated that someone has come past and he’s stuck his leg out.

“We’re playing rugby league, he’s not hurt him. No one has gone off on a stretcher. Yeah, he’s cost them two points tonight but what I don’t want is for it to cost him a chance to play in the World Club Challenge next week.”

Hull-born pundit Wilkin claimed that Lewis won’t cop a ban but he did hammer Lewis for what he deemed a ‘stupid’ act, explaining that it was a return of the petulance that possibly characterised Lewis before he started thriving under Willie Peters.

Wilkin insisted: “He won’t get banned. It’s just stupid. I’m saying the petulance built throughout the game, possibly frustrated with the weather, possibly frustrated with how good York’s defence was, possibly frustrated with the verbal he’s getting off Liam Harris who has done a great job winding him up, and then he comes up with a dumb play.

“We’ve spoken at length about Mikey Lewis. We all stood back last year and the last 18 months and we’ve said ‘he’s matured’ but the reality is we all revert to type at some stages.

“We’re all reckless to some degree at times in our life and I think Mikey is not beyond that, is he? What’s clear from tonight is Mikey Lewis can still go into the gutter with people and scrap it out.”

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