Hull KR head coach Willie Peters has been described as the ‘perfect candidate’ to coach PNG Chiefs with one pundit revealing why he’s landed the NRL gig.
It was confirmed last weekend that Peters would leave Hull KR at the end of the 2026 season, with the Australian to depart after four years in charge in order to take up the head coach role at incoming NRL club PNG Chiefs.
He’s made no secret of his desire to coach in the NRL and after taking Hull KR to the very top with their treble-winning campaign in 2025, it’s understandable why he has landed such a prestigious role in the NRL.
Speaking ahead of Hull KR’s win over Hull FC, the Sky Sports pundits assessed exactly how and why Peters was the right man for PNG with former Man of Steel Sam Tomkins pointing to the winning attitude that Peters had created.
He said: “I think Hull KR dreamed of times like this, didn’t they? They’ve been up and down, they’ve been out of the Super League but Willie Peters has come and created an atmosphere and created a buzz amongst the players.
“He’s turned them from a potential team to a winning team, and that’s the difference. It’s fine margins, but when you get a coach as good as Willie Peters, it makes a massive difference.”
Hull KR boss tipped to build success at PNG
Jon Wilkin was eager to point out that it isn’t simply Peters’ success rate as a head coach but also what he cultivates within a squad, something that he argued made the Australian the ‘perfect candidate’ to coach PNG Chiefs.
The ex-St Helens man said: “It’s not just his coaching record. Obviously, that 73% win percentage is what it’s all about. That’s probably the paramount thing in a coach’s career that will define him but ultimately, the reason he’s got the PNG job is his ability to build communities around him.
“He’s gone into Hull KR, which is a wildly passionate club, and made strong connections between the playing agenda and the fans and we feel that, don’t we? When we’re pitchside, we feel that strongest at Craven Park and that’s largely down to Willie Peters.”
Wilkin added: “The careful language he uses to build trust with supporters and the community in Hull and that’s why he’s the perfect candidate for the PNG Chiefs.”
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